


If the Moon Shines

by AikoIsari



Series: The Open Sky [8]
Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Story (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Race Changes, Blood, Broken Bones, Confrontations, Demonic Possession, Depression, Expanded Universe, Family, Gen, Harmful to Minors, Memory Loss, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mind Games, Minor Character Death, Pain, Past Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pyromania, Speech Disorders, Swearing, Team as Family, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-03-02 13:22:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 43
Words: 80,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2813453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AikoIsari/pseuds/AikoIsari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Expanded/merged canon. Sayo has never been an incredibly good girl, she didn't need anyone to tell her that. But when her home is threatened, she'll prove she is a loyal girl. There's no one quite as unpredictable and terrifying as a cornered animal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sliver of Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is an expanded canon of Dawn/Dusk because, you know, I'm crazy. No clue of the update schedule on this but I will try for as much as I can. Expanded and merged canon here, so this will not entirely flip the gameverse on its head. But basically, if the details aren't given in game, I'm jumping for it. And if you don't know the game, but you know Digimon, you're gonna be fine. Maybe.
> 
> Challenges: Slots Challenge, Anime/Manga Diversity Challenge prompt K16. write a fic in first person past tense, and Advent Calendar day 25. write a gift fic for a person AND review them. Well, Copperfur, here's the gift fic! I'll try to get the review up before I sleep but if not, definitely soon.
> 
> Well, all of that said, please read and review and hang on for the ride!

"Tell me the first thing you remember."

"Aw hell, doc.  _Again_?"

I will be the first person to admit I have a bit of a bone to pick with anything related to doctors. I didn't really like being poked at and chained to a stretcher. It wasn't the funny story you wrote home to your grand kids about.

_My first memory was of a flashlight._

Somehow, the fact that therapists were little more than doctors who paid to poke at your psyche instead of your body never sat right with me.

_Apparently, I had bit a couple of people, and made my way onto one of the more dangerous servers of the Digital World. They almost classified me as a dangerous creature, animal, feral, over human. I can't say that bothers me. I have always liked being thought of as a bit savage, a bit wild. I mean, where's the fun in saying "yes, sir" to every little thing?_

The woman (I didn't like calling her last name, or her name in general, really, unless it made her mad) didn't cross her arms, but she did raise an eyebrow. "Sayo. I know we've gone through the experience a lot-"

"Eight damn times," I interrupted, crossing my arms to prove the point. "And that's this month. You have holo-video footage, you have other witnesses you can ask, go annoy them instead of talking to me about old shit that is sure as hell not helping me do my jobs right now!"

_I don't remember anything before that flashlight. I didn't even know my own name. Nothing quite so surreal as having a computer recite your name from an identification scanner and expecting you to accept it._

The woman took a deep breath, and another, and all I thought to do was wonder if the lady needed an oxygen tank. Supposedly, pure oxygen was great for the brain. Maybe that would be the way to tell her to get the hell off of this topic. "It is, in part, why you're cursing at me."

_They told me I had a sister, a sister with hair like mine and bruises on her back and throat and a mother who was going to be locked up for the rest of our lives and a father who had suffered a heart attack because of me. Who might die because of me._

_They didn't understand why after telling me this, that I decided that biting them again was an appropriate course of action, as was running for my life._

I sat back in the chair, tipping it back. "I'm swearing at you because we're goin' nowhere and I've got training in a couple of hours. Night Claw, remember? We're all crazy. We're all bastards. We're all broken. That's the slogan, that's the promise. You ain't getting' no namby-pamby repairable little kids on this side."

"Your optimism is reassuring to me," she said to me. Her lips twitched.

I cackled. "You're the one who ain' puttin' it down on your pretty little pad, are ya?" I couldn't help but give her a suggestive wag of the eyebrows. "Come on Annie, humor me a little." I rubbed at my dark jacket. "Lemme go to work, love."

She didn't protest the pet name this time. Kinda weird, but maybe I puffed out her steam. "How's your sister?"

Damn, that was a fast change of subject. "Yuki? Ehm..." I fiddled with my hat, searching for words. "She's all right, right now. Lonely with just her and dad, but I'll see her at the end of the month."

"Has she said anything?"

I raised an eyebrow, regarding Anya (I will never call her and her sweetly freckled dark-butt Ms. Strider. She was around way too much for that. "Not to people she don't like."

"You mean basically everyone."

"Humans are a pain in the ass."

_None of these people knew shit about common decency. Still don't._

"And yet," Anya said, giving me a pleasant smile. "The Digimon are still asking for our help even now."

I glowered at her. I hated when the woman used logic on me.

She snorted when I said so. "Sayo, that's because you are obsessively determined to be  _right_  every damn day."

Well, she had me there. Still, I managed a smile worthy of a true-blue Night Claw prepared to ruin the lives of everyone around her. "I got a curse word out of you. Does that mean I can go?"

She pinched her nose. "Yes. You can go." I shot from my chair. "You're going to have to talk about your problems someday, Sayo."

I waved a hand at her, running out the door as fast as I could without losing my hand.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered as soon as I was out of earshot, pulling my socks back up. "Fuck if I'm talking about it anytime soon." Didn't have time for that mess.

I ran past dark walls, lights kept somewhat dim for the people who had vision problems and those who flinched at the sight of flickering bulbs. Neither issue described me, but all the new recruits had the latter for a while. Enough times near a Tyrannomon breathing fire near a Renamon's crystal attacks gave most Normal Tamers enough nightmares to last 'em weeks.

Yeah, here at Night Claw, the first thing you learned to do was dodge. Or die. Julia's a strict bitch, but she loves us all.

Most of the time.

I waved at the guards to the city and resisted the urge to make a really horrible chess pun. I never thought it was fair to do that to a Bishop and RookChessmon. I know that must be the dumbest thing to hear in the mornings.

"She's right," chimed my Digivice, or rather, one of the creatures inside of it did that. "You're going to have to talk about it one of these days."

I pouted at the device, stepping onto the blue square and clicking the middle button. "What difference is it gonna make? I don't remember, and really, I don't really  _wanna_." For a moment, I remembered being stuck to a bed and shrugged my shoulders to make sure they were still mobile. "Julia don't care, so long as I do my jobs right, so neither should anybody else."

Inside the device, one partner let out a sigh, but went quiet as my body lit up blue. I grit my teeth and swallowed.

I was never gonna get used to teleportation pads.

"Where the hell have you been?" Newton toyed with his blue beanie hat, which I knew for a fact he only wore because he hated his haircut every time he was forced to have one. His right foot was up in mid-tap, and I rolled my eyes.

"It wasn't my fault this time," I told him, and Dorothy, who was peering at the Digital World below the CITY Server with the same obsessive fascination she had every time one of our team (usually me) made the others wait too long. "Annie kept trying to get me to talk about my  _feelings_." I didn't add air quotes, figured my voice could do it for me.

Newton snorted. "In other words, do her job."

I shot him a pout, purple eyes blown wide. "You're an ass, Newton."

"Least I don't harass a chick for not being as bad as the other psychos they send our way."

"He's kind of got you on that," Dorothy chirped, finally pulling away from her observing of what were likely specks of Digimon. I have no clue what she saw down there. "Now, come on. The Chief is waiting at Thriller Ruins. Tournament training and all of that."

I clapped my hands together and rubbed them. "Oh good, I get to practice my killing strike on unsuspecting Light Fangs."

Newton snorted. "I love how you assume they're just target practice." He shoved me into the golden portal and I glared at him mockingly.

"Everyone's an appetizer to me, brainiac. Even you."

Then I stood back and waited for the feeling of my entire body being dissolved and reassembled across another network.

Again. Teleportation sucked.


	2. Line at the Cafe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! Late as heck update, but I need to get some sleep sooner or later, and this decided to argue with me and have short chapters. Well, shortish. Anybody who reads Pile and Light are probably raising their eyebrows at me right now. Eh, oh well. It's all right. I'm happy you're liking it so far, Copperfur. I'm super sleepy and hope everything's been edited okay. That all said, please read and review!
> 
> Little note: that tidbit Sayo made about the oxygen was incredibly inaccurate, but it's Sayo, and I imagine she doesn't know. Thanks for that heads up KumoFuzei!
> 
> Warning: F-bombs, past improper treatment of children, allusion to pyromania.

"You're late, Sayo.  _Again_ ."

I tried not to roll my eyes at her clicking tongue, pulling my hat and goggles back down on my hair and wiping my mouth. No one laughed. Everyone knew about my legendary teleportation sickness. Alternate servers were the worst, especially since Thriller Ruins smelled like mildew. "Sorry, Chief," I said, saluting with the biggest amount of fake enthusiasm imaginable. " _Your_ therapist decided it was important to try and remind me I'm fucked up in the head."

Julia's eye twitched (at the curse or my derision of Annie, not sure) and I took great pride in making that happen. Oh  _sure_ , I could play the- what was that real world term, Girl Scout?- the goody two shoes and be all contrite, but Julia liked me being anything but, and who was I to deny the  _Queen of Darkness_  her desires? She looked ready to say something, but then stopped herself. Good.

The first time I met Julia, I was chained to a bed. I was fucking chained to a hospital bed. I half expected a god damn muzzle. Then again, I didn't know what a muzzle was, so maybe. I knew what bodily functions were, I hadn't forgotten how to read, or how to walk, or how to chew. (I might forget those one day, that would be a pain.) All I knew was how to get the hell outta dodge, and that until I wasn't chained to something, that was gonna be a doozy of a task.

Even now, years later, I know for a fact that she was the one with the sadistic idea to chain me to a bed. Her eyes had been a little too amused by the whole ordeal, if you know what I mean. Eh, I do get back at her anyway. Like now.

Letting it go, she tapped her foot and then faced us all, arms crossed. "Very well then, let's get started. Normal Tamers, form up!"

We don't scramble. Informal and insane we Night Claw may be, we know what discipline is. She took the high ground, standing over us with her first partner, her loyal knight. ChaosDukemon stared down at us, arms crossed and expression likely something amused. If there was anybody I heard be vocal about the stupidity of the Rank Tournaments, it was ChaosDukemon. Apparently Ofanimon wasn't much better, but she had a smile, so everybody listened to her. Eh, wasn't my problem. The tournaments were hilarious to me.

Up until now, I only got to watch, little sister's hand tight in mine as claws and fangs and flashes of power broke stadiums. (The Platinum Tournament had to be relocated last year, and I couldn't even go!)

Now, I got to feast.

"All right, I know for some of you this seems like no big deal." Julia knew how to make her voice ring without shouting, and damned if I didn't wanna know how. "It's the Normal Tournament, you've barely gotten used to your DigiSoul and your team, hell, you're not even used to your squad, isn't that right?"

Behind me, someone shifted back on their heels, almost in preparation to backpedal out of the ruins. I didn't even have to look to know it was Ponch, little idiot with a lot to prove and not enough balls to do it.

Then again, anyone with  _Gutts_  for a cousin would have to be twitchy. Hate visiting his house. Plates thrown everywhere... eurgh.

Julia noticed, she noticed damn near everything. "There's nothing wrong with those feelings. Those feelings are natural. They are fear. Everyone standing here is well aware of what fear looks like."

Gutts laughed. Newton kicked behind him without tearing his gaze away, landing a solid kick to the other's thigh. I failed to muffle a snigger. ChaosDukemon glanced at me, and I just winked. I can't help myself sometimes, I'm a horrible person.

Julia continued on, stepping closer to the ledge. Anyone else would have hesitated. Thankfully, Julia never did. If her cubs were in danger, then so was she. "It is precisely because we see fear, that we know it, that we can  _eat_  it."

All of us shivered. We couldn't help ourselves. Her expression had lost its calm long ago, replaced with intense, unbridled loving fury.

"It is because we can devour fear that we can look at them, our rivals, and face them. They are  _strong_ , they know competition better than we do, they are healthy free, and safe. Very few of them are like us, and Glare makes sure of that. Rich bastards for family are more difficult to deal with than ordinary bastards."

She laughed, and the sound was sneering music to my ears. "All of that said, they have the advantage of not questioning their next meal, or checking for all of their teeth, or not having to cringe at the sun. But we have the advantage of knowing the answer to that question, and that answer is that we will snatch it by any means necessary, as that is no less than our complete and utter right! We are Night Claw, and victory is in our souls! Is that  _clear_?"

"Sir!" God, whenever she talked that, it was like preparing to go to war or to bed. I wanted it, wanted my blood to scream in my ears. I licked my lips and punched the air. It was bluster, a lot of barking, a Dobermon's yowling but it was the best truth I had to follow. She was worse with a solo audience.

"Good." Unfortunately, ChaosDukemon did have a tendency to boom. "The Digimon here won't interfere with you today, but you may have some  _uninvited_ _observers_. Try not to hit them."

"Their fault if they get in the way," Gutts shouted, and Ponch roared his agreement, now that he had something to agree with. We laughed.

A smile ghosted over Julia's face. "Fair enough. Disperse!"

"Sir!"

Newton bounced from one foot to the other. "Dorothy, Sayo, let's go further in! Kokuwamon's itching to set something on fire!"

Right, that was what his  _partner_  wanted. Ri-ight.

Dorothy giggled near my ear. "Set something on fire, he said."

I grinned. "Hope everything burns equally." We hurried after him. We eventually found him perched by a server pillar. He spun his Digivice. "Kokwamon, get Sayo!"

From above, I saw the glimmer of electricity and spun to the side, dragging Dorothy with me. Her normal eased expression was now a twisted frown and flaring nostrils. "He did say, setting everything on fire," I reminded her and she scowled a bit, raising her own Digivice.

"Floramon, pin him!"

I grinned. "Pulling out the big guns then? All right! I'll let you take this one, Lunamon!" My Digivice flashed and the Lunamon leaped from the dark void she opened above my head. Dropping, her ears spun, filling the air with bubbles. Kokuwamon cringed back, right into Floramon's waiting arms.

"Electrocute her," Newton shouted. "She's Insect, she can take it."

Kokuwamon's body sparked white and Floramon dropped him like a stone. She let out a scoff of anger, petaled hair standing on end. I snorted, couldn't help myself.

Dorothy scoffed a bit, blue Soul Energy flashing by her fingers. "You're such a charmer. Blast him!" Floramon moved to whip him in the face.

Well, I couldn't have that. I whistled and Lunamon spun and swiped at the vines. Floramon yelped and Diana lunged, firing an arrow of ice. Floramon stumbled into Kokuwamon. The beetle made to zap her. She slapped him.

I snapped my fingers. "Now, seal em!"

Lunamon spun her ears again, and the bubbles spread, heading towards the two Digimon like a seeping foam. God, it looked hilarious to see a Taser beetle and a walking flower stuck in a bubble trap. If Floramon tried anything, it'd blast their brains out. Which she promptly did.

Needless to say, it didn't end well.

I cackled with laughter and put my hands behind my back. "How's that?"

"Cheat!" Newton shouted, rushing to his twitching partner. "Cheater! Kokuwamon's weak to thuh-hat. Ch-Cheat!"

I kept my face as normal as possible, while Dorothy slipped an arm around Newton's waist. "You're the one always drilling strategy into my head, Newt. Don't blame me if I know how to punch holes into yours."

Newton's chest heaved for a moment, then he nodded, head bobbing too fast and dislodging his beanie from his head. "S-Sorry, yeah, right..."

"Besides," Dorothy giggled, slipped from seriousness as easy as I dropped a bouncy ball. "Sayo doesn't play fair."

"I don't have to," I protested. "Animals don't play fair, why should I?" Seeing Lunamon roll her eyes, I flicked her in the nose. Seeing Newton huff and snicker and Dorothy giggle again, I pouted and put my hands on my hips. "Fine. You know what? Fine. You want me to get kicked around? All right, you've got it. Hey, Raigo! Hey stal-lker, where are you?"

From behind a wall, there was an amused grunt. "What are you shouting for, wild girl?" Raigo mussed his red spikes as he stepped into view. I had to admit, Julia liked picking the weirdos for her higher ups Raigo, mid-level in his Tamer crop, didn't have the strongest Digimon or Soul level (For you kiddies out of the loop, that meant he's not all that natural at kicking ass.), but he managed to convert a Vamdemon's data in one go with only a Veggiemon and a Tailmon. People still whisper it like the stuff of legend, and the Vamdemon haven't forgotten it earlier.

I placed my hands on my jean-hugged hips. "Well, you see, these two are calling me a cheat."

Raigo pushed up his glasses. "What, you're not?"

Newton let out a snort. "See, told you." He was breathing slow and easy again, which meant that I could turn on Raigo and glared.

"You're the one who told strategy was key," I shot back, puffing out my cheeks.

Raigo's grin split his face. "Was it strategy or blood rushing through your veins that said "drench them in a free-for-all", eh squirt?"

Newton sniggered and I turned my nose up. "Both. Now, c'mon, Raigo. Soothe Newt's poor ego and kick my can around."

Raigo tutted and shook his head no, glancing back at where he came. "While I'd like to shove you into a wall, dizzy and smarting with anger, I can't. A little bat told me that some Infermon have decided to nest in the back areas. They're supposed to listen to the Chief... but I've never known a  _wild_ to willingly listen to anybody."

He winked at me, and I snickered. "Don't knock it until you try it."

Dorothy let out a dreamy giggle. Then her mouth opened wide in concern and she pulled Newton to the ground. "Down! Down! Down!" She shouted and we all reacted, rolling away from potential debris. Then the ground started to shake, each of our cells vibrating. Floramon flung vines to cover Dorothy and Newton and we waited. When it calmed, nobody moved until Dorothy did. She raised her head slow, lifting her eyes and tilting her head in time with some innocent tune.

"Is kay," she said after a few minutes. "No more."

I pulled myself to my feet. "Damn, Dorothy, you're gonna have to teach me how to sense like that."

"It certainly is useful." Raigo rolled into a smooth crouch.

Dorothy smiled, the expression completely relaxed. "It's not very hard," she said, patting Floramon's leafy arms with one hand. "All you have to do is lis- Sayo!"

I turned and something struck me in the back, hard. I whirled to face a green, goblin creature. Its large fangs slobbered purple, dribbled poison. Dull red eyes glimmered like dying coals as it advanced towards me.

"Kill," it croaked, taking a step forward. "Kill... Tamers... _Kill._ "

"Oh,  _fuck_ ," I muttered.

So much for just having uninvited observers.


	3. Varying Types of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry that this wasn't up yesterday like it should have been, but I decided to do my physics homework in the evening and that was a bad idea because an Aiko is apparently not patient with these physics problems. Oh well, this is up and I'll try to get everything else up now. I'm sorry for how quiet I've been, I've just been having a bit of a slow start to my year. I'll catch up, I swear! Anyway, here we go! Please read and review!
> 
> Warnings: Egregious swearing, blood, violence, Lunamon in general, and murder of Digimon if that warrants a warning.

_I woke up in a room that smelled._

_It smelled like bleach and maybe aerosol made of rotten flowers, and the ceiling was spotty like someone had managed to puke on it from down here. I wanted to turn my head and puke myself but I couldn't do much besides turn my head, and even that was an effort worthy of Godzilla._

_The monitor beeped. I hated it already. Later, I would realize it made me think of a smoke alarm, but now I just hated it. God, would it shut up?_

" _Well you're just a right ball of sunshine, aren't you? Groaning like that..."_

I dodged to the left, shaking my head from that little train of thought. Now was not the time for some reminiscing. My Digivice glowed for a moment and Lunamon lunged. Her pale red eyes had darkened to crimson and she spun to the side of a mouth dripping with saliva.

"Mine," she screeched and I winced. "You. Will. Not." Each word was punctuated by a wild slash of claws. "Touch. What's.  _Mine_."

One of the first things I had ever learned about my first partner (yes, first, rule was I needed three for some deluded reason) was that the term  _possessive_ was a humongous fucking understatement. Dorothy was lucky she had met me when the little bugger was still a Baby, because one of Newton's haircuts came from supposedly touching a nerve and Lunamon deciding his head would make good target practice.

I swore up and down that Lunamon would always be worse than me. No one ever believed me though. Bastards.

I slipped back. "Luna, calm the angry rage time! We need to kill it!"

"And I'm doing that!" she half- shrieked.

"You're a Child-level who needs a therapist more than I do!" I retorted, raising my Digivice again. "Gaomon, realize and evolve! So I don't get blood on my pants again..."

"No promises, sir!" The dog burst out, slashing claws into another enemy's eyes. It should have shrieked, but it almost laughed.

And I thought I had issues.

I heard Newton yelp and turned, seeing his leg torn and bleeding. His eyes widened, pupils blown out of normal proportions. Dorothy let out a noise from on a broken pillar, her Floramon lashing vines at Vilemon's head.

"Luna," I snapped, seeing her grinning through careful extraction of binary. "Get to Newton! You kind of kicked Kokuwamon's ass, his other partners don't have enough Soul!" She shot me a pouting look of betrayal, which I ignored. "Go on! Gaogamon can cover me!"

She pouted again, and I was sure I was gonna get a scolding for it later, but whatever. She was the Digimon with the bloodthirsty murder streak. I only like kicking copious amounts of ass, that clear? I am not like Lunamon... that much. Some of the time. I'm going to shut up now, even if this is only in my own head.

Gaogamon decided that now was the perfect time to throw me onto his back (if I haven't made it clear yet, pretty much all of my Digimon were fucking nuts, especially Clockmon. He ticked a lot. Yeah.) He was very lucky I do not have a fear of heights, like Barone. How the hell she lived in Darkmoon escaped my knowledge.

I caught myself on his back, gripping his fur like a life vest as he leaped from one Vilemon to another. I glanced up at Raigo, who had taken to the back of Zanbamon's skeletal horse and brandishing the samurai's smallest sword like a hatchet. He leaped and swung, wincing at the splatter on his glasses.

Man. I wanted a weapon like that.

_Silver Tamers and above only..._

Damn, rank tests sucked.

There was a noise as Gaogamon's claws struck through bone and I wiped my face. "Gaogamon, do ya mind? Just a little?"

Gaogamon snorted at me. "You try crushing things with your paws and see it going well."

I stuck out my tongue. "That's what you guys are around for, killing things that want to kill me."

"Sayo!" I glanced at Lunamon as the last Vilemon dropped to the ground and faded in a shower of red. "Newton!"

I rolled off of Gaogamon's back, calling him back to my Digivice with a hissing spark. God  _damn_  it Newton. He shifted back against the broken pillar, trying to wipe the blood from his leg with little success, hands starting to tremble. Dorothy hopped down from her perch, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and beginning to press. He swiped feebly at her but, Dorothy, being the nigh unflappable woman she was, (I had never seen her panic, about anything. Exasperation was probably the worst she'd ever gotten.) shifted her head and only pressed harder. She pulled her hand back and reached for a tissue, beginning to wipe the wound.

Newton let out a whimper, screwing his eyes shut. I patted his shoulder, trying to help him turn. "Come on, buddy," I said. I was trying to sound encouraging. I  _know_  I must have sounded insulting. "Look away so you don't puke on Dorothy's hard work."

He managed a sneer. "Easy for you to say," he mumbled. "You're fine."

Actually I was starting to get a migraine the size of ChaosDukemon's shield, but whatever.

Dorothy tutted. "Stay still, I'm not murdering you."

"I think the Vilemon did a good job of attempting that," Newton muttered.

Raigo knelt beside us. "Sayo, you're in the best condition of the three of them. Go on ahead and report the situation. I'll stay here and keep guard in case there's anything worse."

Not to mention, it'd probably be easier to carry Newton on a horse than anything else. I nodded and stood, moving to head back the way we came. Lunamon was practically skipping now. I swear, she acted like I was completely screwed without her insanity.

Screw that, I have been completely screwed with everyone else's sanity anyway.

* * *

Someone shouted a swear word and the following. "Did someone copy these guys into a Data Converter?"

Gutts. Well, that was a pretty fair statement. I glanced at Lunamon. "Come on sweetheart. More slaughtering."

She huffed at me. What, did she think that she  _didn't_  act like a serial killer?

That said, she still hauled ass and went streaking into the crowd of leaping Vilemon. It was like a mass of green blood and purple drool clawing for the top of a ridge. Ponch sat cradling the head of his Gabumon, cringing in pain. Gutts was shouting more obscenities at the crowd below, his Digivice shooting purple sparks. I couldn't exactly see and anybody who suggested "go closer to the mass of bat devils" needed their brain checked. Then I heard a wild, agitated shout and long white thread shot up to land above the ridge. Barone went flying up a few seconds later, carrying her Wormmon under one arm. Then she whistled and a blue blur went flying from the crowd, bouncing off of heads and spinning punches.

Well, damn. I  _had_  to support that. "Luna!"

"Right, right..." I saw a few Vilemon heads turn and Ponch following their eyes.

"Sayo, move," he shouted. I grinned but ignored him, running towards the fray where Lunamon was practically dancing. She caught hold of me and yanked me away to the ridge, where I scrambled up to the join the other three. It creaked under me, but held.

Gutts was glaring but I wasn't sure if he was actually pissed or not. "I expected that from Newton before you."

"He's indisposed," I replied, glancing at Barone. "Any suggestions, Miss Cool-Cat?"

Barone tugged at her puffy ponytails, chewing on her lip. If anybody wasn't afraid of Barone Summers in Light Fang, they really should be. Dual element affinities were the best. Unfortunately, it can also cause a serious headache, speaking from experience here. She tugged again, eyes darting between Veemon and Lunamon like a ping pong ball. "Sayo, can you k-kinda... close them up?"

I turned that over, tempted to ask for a word. At the sight of Ponch's careful returning of his partner, I decided against it and just yelled for Lunamon.

She glanced at me, nodded, and her ears began to ripple. Veemon hopped out of the way as the world began to turn foamy.

"Luna!" I yelled as the sight of her flashing claws. "Stop cutting them! The bubbles are all red."

And Ponch's face was turning green.

Lunamon let out a sniff and backed away, letting the bubbles wrap around the Vilemon. Ever try to fly with drenched wings? Yeah, it's not fun.

Barone pointed. "Wormmon! Shoot them!" She turned to Gutts, who looked almost bored? God damn, we need to get him a hobby. "C-Can you get Mushroomon to fight?"

Gutts raised his Digivice and nodded. "Bomb them!" He shouted as his partner threw.

There were no shrieking noises, nor sounds of fear and pain. In fact... I strained my ears.

"Are those guys laughing?"

"Okay, this was already weird," Ponch mumbled. "Now it's just  _creepy_."

"Don't be such a-" Gutts didn't even get the sentence out before Barone elbowed him in the stomach, eyes rapt on the battle.

The mass beneath our feet was beginning to shrink, and Barone spotted Veemon and whistled. He glowed blue and burst into light, leaving another dragon flying high over the mass. At the sight of him, they began to rise.

I glanced at Barone. "Count of three?"

"Count of one!" Gutts shouted before she could answer as his partner threw. Barone sighed and whistled for Exveemon.

Within minutes, all that was left was smoke and fading bursts of green.

"Thanks, Sayo," Barone said, as I helped her down.

I laughed. "The heck are ya thanking me for? I'm not the one who shot them down."

Barone glanced at Ponch, who was too busy worrying over his Digimon, and Gutts, who was pacing back and forth, and shook her head. "None of us have a binding attack right now, except Wormmon... and he lacks the range. Honestly, we could have come off worse if you hadn't shown up."

If anybody else had dropped those words on me, I'd have preened. Barone, however, just got a nod. She didn't give compliments away like handouts, so, well, I took it a little seriously.

"I'm going to report to Julia," I informed them. "Listen, Newton and Dorothy are back there with Raigo. Newton's leg looks like shit."

"How bad?" Ponch asked, now reaching into his pocket.

"Think I saw bone," I said with a grimace. "but the blood was a bit thick, I might have been seeing things. Ponch, can you take a look?"

Ponch saluted. "I'll take a look at him."

I nodded, gave Lunamon a sharp whistle, and bolted back down the path. That had taken way too long for me. Not that I was worried about Julia. The Chief was fine. Her partner was a psycho, hell,  _she_ was a psycho. Still a bit of a problem since I had no idea is Newton was bleeding to death or not and that would be shitty, considering the tournament is tomorrow. God damn it, their timing sucked.

The path up ahead was shrouded in smoke, and I took a moment to cover my mouth with my sleeve and breathe. Shit... it stung. My eyes watered and I made a quick gesture to Lunamon. She splashed me without a second thought, taking my free hand and running forward.

"Chief," I barked once I could breathe. "Chief!"

"Sayo."

Fucking hell. Bitch nearly gave me a heart attack.

An armored hand reached and yanked me up by the back of my shirt, tossing me onto the bricks above. Lunamon caught me and glared.

"ChaosDukemon! Don't throw her!" That was the closest she'd get to doing anything about it.

The knight glanced at me rubbing my rear end and shrugged. "She's alive."

"Still!"

"Good to see you're all right." Julia knelt next to me, wiping green blood off of my cheek. I used my stinging free hand to salute.

"Glad to see you're still taking the high ground."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Status report?"

I shrugged. "Raigo, Barone, and I are probably in the best condition. Ponch and Gutts' Digimon are down, and Newton got cut bad in the leg. I asked the others to get him."

Julia nodded. "Duke."

"If I must." He knelt to jump (I braced myself for the inevitable shock wave because he has no fucking self-control on that crap.) when he shifted. "Julia!"

We both turned (I actually felt my neck crack) and on the other side of the area hovered a... thing. Well, to be honest, it just looked like a floating hood with eyes. I know, I'm so helpful.

ChaosDukemon burst off at this point, and I went rolling. "Ow..." I muttered, spitting gravel.

I heard giggling, then a loud thunk as what was probably a lance hitting concrete, and then silence.

"Escaped," ChaosDukemon reported, shaking his hand.

"No shit," I muttered, sitting up. "Chief, on a scale of one to ten, how fucked are we?"

Julia was quiet at first, but when she looked down at me, her face was stone. "As long as we're alive, negative seven."

I glared at her. "That's not comforting, god damn it."

She knelt and reached to retie my bandanna. "I know, but it's all we have."

It really was.


	4. How to Make a Bang

One of the most important things that you need to know about me would be that I am not a morning person in any sense of the word. If the world ended, I would probably sleep through it in favor of not getting up before the sun was so high in the sky that it hurt to still be asleep.

Apparently I am the only one with this problem in my group because Dorothy shook me and I could still see the stars through the light of the rising sun. However, she looked like she'd been up all night and didn't even care about the lack of coffee. "Dorothy, what the hell... you said I could sleep in." Urgh, my mouth tasted disgusting.

She shook her head. "Not anymore. Newton had to get his spot in the tournament switched with yours in Group B." Dorothy's daze of a voice sounded sympathetic. "Doctor's orders."

"Can he still fight?" I tried to tug the covers back over my head. I'm dreaming, I have to be fucking dreaming. This sucks...

"He can fight, but the doctor insisted his entry point get switched for longer resting time." Dorothy yanked my blanket away and I glared. At least it was dark, but still. "Yours was the first contestant they picked."

"I'm  _murdering_  them," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Fucking bastards. I filed in the stupid report, saved people's asses, and now they want me to be their dancing monkey. Urgh."

"Welcome to government work. Enjoy your stay." Dorothy patted my shoulder, grabbing my clothes and throwing them over my head. "Take it out on those little Light Fang kids. Rip them into shreds that we can put in tonight's soup."

You know, I often  _think_  shit like that, but I have never said it with the same straight face as Dorothy Evergreen did. To be fair though, I have actually met her mother. She would say that with a straight face.

I grinned, but it was hard because I was so damn tired. I managed to roll myself out of bed. "How long do I have?"

"Twenty minutes to get ready. Registration starts in thirty. The Light Fang are almost all done. We had to wait because of injuries injuries."

I grunted. "Check the squad is okay. I'm going to wash up." I leaped from bed in nothing more than a falling oversized short sleeve shirt. Dorothy squeezed her eyes shut, I know she did because she is a stinking prude who shrieked like the devil the first time she saw my chest. I live on a stupid island thing, no one is gonna actually see me.

Not like I have much to look at in the first place.

"Julia said to pick a uniform you hadn't shredded with your teeth," Dorothy said with her back to me. I scrubbed my face, hating the cold water before traipsing back.

I rolled my eyes, picking a clean outfit from the chest of drawers. "Then she'll have to buy me a new one."

"You really are invested with making an absolutely shitty impression on the Light Fang, aren't you?"

Another straight faced moment, one I deigned to ignore.

I spun my belt over my waist. I didn't know why I bothered with screwing up the girl's uniform. I looked like a boy, and I loved it. Of course, if I had a choice, it could have happened differently, but eh, not important.

"I'm decent," I said, tugging on my socks and cleaning my goggles.

Dorothy giggled, opening her eyes again. "Decently inhumane."

"That was cold," I whined, finishing with my bandanna. "How are the Digimon?"

"In top murdering formation,  _tick_!" said Solarmon in a whining grind.

Wonderful. They were all insane. I guess that was perfect fighting condition.

I grunted to myself, tapping my foot as Dorothy creased my bedspread. "Are you done? You're the one who said we had a timer hot on our asses." I snatched my Digivice from her fingers, and she chuckled.

"You're going to fall into bed when today's over," Dorothy said with a wink. "Least I can do is make it easier on you."

Hmph. She had me there, I guess. Still. Damn her.

I tapped my foot and almost smacked into Phascomon on my way out. "Whoa, sorry, man. Don't eat the pudding, all right?"

"Oh, you're no fun at all," the bear protested. I took a minute to kneel and scratch one of his matted ears. He scratched my arm in return and I pouted when it drew blood. Little bastard. All of my Digimon were sadists. All of them.

Well, okay, there was that Scan Data in my computer. They were pretty innocent. But they'd be corrupted soon enough.

I hopped to the portal and Dorothy took my hand. Okay, no one tell anybody, but taking the teleporter pad with a person made it easier. Or maybe it was just because it was Dorothy. Hard to tell, really.

We crept across the quiet Darkmoon City. The early morning made me yawn, but the lack of people just made me uncomfortable. I always felt I had to whisper during the mornings.

"How are the others?"

"Good night's sleep perked them right back up. Barone, you, and me are on A team."

I winced and rubbed my head. "Shi-it. I have to face Barone."

Dorothy hummed a laugh. "Her dual affinity has been blocked for the tournament. So's yours."

"Damn it, they just want to eat my ass."

Despite just hearing that my ace in the hole was now drowning in a ditch under the city for the time being, I grinned. Challenge accepted, you meddling old farts. If I didn't hate transportation, I'd have skipped to the pad.

But, it was me, and I'm a boy-girl person. Not happening.

* * *

It took forever for registration to end. I came into the Wait Room with barely a few minutes to breathe. Barone gave me a yawn and a wave, offering a plate of salmon and asparagus.

At this point, I was too hungry to say no, and I  _hate_  teriyaki sauce.

"Your turn yet," I asked between bites.

Barone shook her head, rubbing at the eyeliner. "Ch-Chief is sih-hitting-" She yawned. "Through the opening ceremonies. Th-threatened to punch the mic down the referee's throat if they took as long as they di-hid last year."

Dorothy and I both laughed. She'd do it too. The Chief has never made an empty threat.

"H-how's Ne-Newton?" Barone yawned again, rubbing her eyes.

"Ticked," Dorothy chirped, since I had no damn clue. "He wanted to be here now and tearing through Light Fang jackets and all of that."

"We are such good sports," I said with a sigh, slumping onto a nearby bench. "I'm so tired~"

For a while, we were all quiet. If we were nervous, after yesterday, we were stupid. Bunch of kids in a controlled environment, compared to some Vilemon swarming like parasites after our heads? Nah, we were golden. I rolled over, staring at the portal. What was that dude waxing on about? Playing fair? Did he realize what psychos he was talking to?

Finally, it flashed and Julia stepped into view. Her eye was twitching. Aww, shit.

"That bad?" Dorothy said, giggling a little. Don't giggle at your aunt like that, you crazy bitch.

Julia mussed her hair with a low sigh, deciding, much like I did, to ignore Dorothy being chirpy like that. "After that horrific accident that was that man on the podium, I think the audience is baying for some excitement. I think my girls are capable of doing that, hm?"

The humming noise made us straighten where we were. Oh, hell to the yes. Electricity ran up my spine, scaring away all of my exhaustion. It was time, fuck coffee.

"Barone."

The blond girl shifted."Y-yes ma'am?"

"Play it defensively." She tossed a pendant to her and to me. "Since you two aren't allowed to have as much fun, keep as much close to your chest as possible, so long as you don't ruin the show."

Barone saluted. "R-right! I'll give it my best."

Dorothy gave Julia a dazed smile before she could speak. "I know the drill: keep it to the speed, quick tap, don't expect much from my section. Oh," She winked at me. "And pray I don't face Sayo in the lottery draw."

Barone burst into giggles, and ChaosDukemon cracked a snort.

I only grinned. "The usual, boss lady?"

Julia fixed me with a grave stare, then she smiled. Let me tell you, when Julia smiles like a cat with the cream, it means nothing but good things. "Make sure they see  _red_."

I rolled from the bench and straightened into a salute. "Yes, sir."

And I meant every bit of that salute, let me tell you.

* * *

The battles were never all that good in the beginning, straightforward battlefield, no environment, and all the hot ass lights.

But it was a stage, and if there was anything I found fun that was controlled by adults, it was showing off.

I took lazy steps into view. The crowd didn't roar. It was too soon after shitty speech number one-thirty. The girl on the other side was almost impossible to see in her bright Light Fang outfit.

She waved at me. "Hi! Ooh, you look a mess."

Hey, she wasn't woken way too early. Oh wait...

I grinned, jagged and toothy. To her credit, the girl didn't get flustered. I could respect that. I made it into view. "You're... Komachi, huh?"

"Yeah!" her braids bounced as she cheered. "And you're... oh, you're Sayo, right?"

My grin widened. "Afraid so."

"Oh, then this will be tough!" she held out her Digivice. "If I can get through you, it's just Barone left!"

 _Just Barone?_ I snorted. "Ooh, do I feel sorry for you. Don't worry, though." I cracked my knuckles. "It ain't happenin'."

The referee raised one pale hand. "Group A, battle two! Begin!"

I didn't even have to think. "Solarmon, realize! Shield!"

"Yes, tick!" The orange gear burst out, just as as a claw struck towards my face. They clanged and I laughed.

Komachi winced. "Ooh, I forgot you were suppoed to be speedy!" Agumon crouched back by her feet, fireball forming.

"Ain't all I am, firehead!" I grinned. "Switch, Gaomon, spin!"

Gaomon's fist connected with a fireball and he winced. Agumon lunged, swiping. Gaomon backpedaled, dodging and dancing. The look on the enemy's face was utter irritation and I was cheering so much on the inside.

Komachi glanced at me, and there was an odd look on her face. Eh, whatever, she was weird. Light Fangs were weird. I proclaimed it as law.

Gaomon ducked under and kicked Gaomon in the stomach, wincing at the flames to his face. "You all right," I called, shifting, prepared to switch again. She had only shown one. I had shown two. Did she have another?

"I'm fine," he coughed, shaking away the smoke and jumping back to me. "Her Agumon's a nuisance though. Get ready."

I bared my teeth. "Sir, yes sir."

If he wasn't wearing big ass boxer gloves, I would guess he was flipping me off for that one. "Soul, Charge!" I snapped out, feeling the energy swirl about my fingertips and to Gaomon himself. He lunged mid-evolution, smacking Agumon to the edge of the ring.

"Ooh, raising the stakes!" Komachi hopped to her partner's side. "Then I will too-"

Gaogamon lunged before she could make it, knocking him into the barrier, which burst alive with electricity. Agumon howled and grit its teeth. "Komachi!"

I saw her falter and almost winced.  _Come on girl, do it. I ain't kickin' ya while you're down. Do it._

"D-Digisoul, charge!"

I was actually kinda relieved when GeoGreymon swung at us. Gaogamon didn't flinch, of course. He swung his claws and the two of them smashed together like rocks in a rock slide. Flame met wind and for a moment, I had to cover my face. It was hot enough in here, yeesh! Turn down the animal roast.

Then, after a few more slices, at which point I could see had drawn blood, Gaogamon threw GeoGreymon into the barrier again.

There was no way it could handle that a second time. He screamed as long as it took for Komachi to reel him in.

"Match over!" the ref shouted and I took a step back in relief, then squared my shoulders.

One down, two to go.


	5. Ways to Say Hello

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Updating this a lot quicker if I can. It'd be nice anyway. Ah well, here goes everything! Please drop a review if you feel so inclined. :D Thanks for the support so far!

The last two matches were decidedly not as messy as all of that. Thank god for that too, because my team could only dance so long on so little. I flopped back on the bench, exhaustion running down my sleeves with the sweat and blood where the... I think the dude's name was Pulsa, I dunno, something stupid, the other GeoGreymon nearly knocked my head off with his tail. I probably deserved it but what the hell?

Of course, Luna, my dear, loveable psycho, decided that was a perfect excuse to nearly break the platform with his head. I still have no idea how she and Solarmon managed that but as far as I was concerned, I'd say it was exactly as planned.

"Stop fidgeting with it," Ponch muttered, retying the bandage. "My fight's in like: ten, though I may as well not bother, since Newton decided to find his "I need to rip out someone's asshole" button."

"You would too if you had to limp on a stage with all that pity on them faces," I retorted, swatting at his hands. "Dude, seriously, it's fine. It's a head wound. Looks worse than it is."

"You say that all the time," Ponch muttered. "And one time you actually got a concussion."

"Dude, seriously, you need to go." I gave him a shove. "It's not like I'm doing anything for the next..." I looked at the clock. "Three hours until my match. Go on, you doof. Go get stretched."

Ponch glowered at me and then gave Dorothy a glance. "Make sure she doesn't keel over while we're gone."

Dorothy giggled through her salute. "Y-Yes s-sih-her," she stuttered through laughter. Like she could stop me from doing anything I damn well pleased.

Ponch glared at her, and he was the only one who ever bothered at doing that, but moved towards where the orderly was standing, apparently satisfied. For now. I looked up at the monitor and whistled. "Damn, Newton's getting run over out there. Who's his opponent?"

"Koh." Gutts bit the word out like the kid had personally ransacked his house. "The Light Fang in the lobby were grumbling about him. Kid was late, nearly missed his call! But apparently he's as good as you." He glanced at me, and I snorted.

"There's no one like me, only me, putty-for-brains." I tossed my hair back. "Hope he likes being filleted."

Ponch rolled his eyes. "I'll cream him first," he said to me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Ri-ight."

Above our heads, the monitor lit up. When the light faded, Newton's Kokuwamon lay in a heap like a bunch of unwieldy Legos.

I caught a glimpse of this guy, Koh's, face. His mouth was in a grim line, and everything about his red eyes screamed order.

I snorted. Yeah, this was a pansy, devoted little swot. Justice was on his side too. Watching Ponch hop to his feet, I sat back to analyze the screen.

 _Too bad, little lion boy._  The one time that I wasn't late, you were. You missed your opportunity to learn the dance steps. I'm not gonna.

I sat back and watched. When Newton dropped next to me, I offered him a consoling pat on the shoulder.

"Think of it this way," I said, not taking my eyes off of the match. "Someone's gonna beat the shit out of him."

Newton followed my eyes. "And it'd better be  _you_ , you bratty pain in the ass." He winced as he moved his leg. "Cause if you don't, I'm gonna find a way to ruin your face."

"You don't have nearly enough stamina for that," Barone called with a cheeky smile. Dorothy giggled until she couldn't breathe and I snorted. I didn't have to look to see Newton's face turning an awkward shade of red. I punched him in the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'd castrate you first."

Newton glared at Barone. "You're supposed to be the nice one."

Barone giggled. "Only with those two!"

"And even then," Gutts grumbled, wincing at the screen. "Seriously, Ponch, that dodge was sloppy! The hell were you doing?"

I winced at the sight of Gabumon's flame teetering to nothing. The animal had always been a better defense than offense. Unfortunately, that seemed to be everything this guy lived for.

Gutts covered his eyes. "I can't look. Let me know when the massacre is over."

"He's so supportive, huh?" Barone, even as she said this, was looking a little uncomfortable.

I thought about reminding them of Komachi's Agumon electrocuting itself, but I decided against it. No need to make anybody puke.

Ponch slumped back in five agonizing minutes later. "Sorry, guys. That was insane."

Gutts rolled her eyes. "You coulda had him if you had used Soul."

"You act like I had a chance!" Ponch shouted, face burning with embarrassment. "You saw him. That dumb Coronamon of his is  _fast_."

 _Fast, but he hits way too late. Way too much self-control._ I decided not to say that aloud, watching the cousins glare across the room. I wasn't sure what that said about them. Gutts was shit at the whole reaffirming self-confidence stuff, but Ponch was also a pretty sore loser.

Then again, I'm one to talk.

Eventually, they stopped and Ponch moved away, letting Gutts stomp his way onto the teleporter pad. "Just watch me," he sneered at us through carrot-orange hair. "I'll stomp him flat!"

We waited a moment until Ponch went over to me, adjusting the wrap on my head again. I let him so he didn't break into that occasional crying fit that he sometimes got into when Gutts wound him up like a slinky. He'd been getting better at that, so the therapist was working on somebody.

"He's screwed," Ponch said after a few minutes.

"No shit," Dorothy hummed.

I swear, whose side was she on?

"Sayo."

I lifted my head to see the Chrysalimon who watched the door. "You've got a visitor."

"I've got a wha-oh crap."

That was about all I could get out before my lap was full of ten-year-old. "Yuki," I coughed, because ow, have you hit by almost sixty pounds of child? Seriously. "I'm glad to see you, but have you forgotten the first rule of sisterly affection?"

Yuki clambered down, rolling her eyes. "No attempted murder of the older sibling unless she deserves it or has taken the last pudding cup without buying a new pack."

I patted her fluffy white hair. "That's right. Good girl."

Though she was pouting hard enough to make wrinkles, I knew she liked it when I said that. She wrapped her arms around me again. "Gutts is doing bad," she said after a moment.

"Bit of an understatement, girl," I said, still watching Koh's digimon. They were pretty solid, I could admit. "Where's the old man?"

"I wanted Pocky," she said, blinking her big pale blue eyes at me like that made a difference.

I flicked her on the nose anyway. "You slave driver."

"Better she learn now," Newton said with a snort, reaching and tugging a lock of Yuki's hair from her face. I mock-glared, knowing he meant no harm by it. "Manipulation, thievery, trickery, foul play, Night Claw handbook in a nutshell."

Yuki giggled at the thought and I finally looked away from the battle.

I didn't want my sister here. She liked everybody, sure, but she doesn't like the dankness, the forced quiet at certain hours. My sister's crazy would always be a crazy of lights and colors, of warm things and holy prayer and healing.

That wasn't Night Claw, or at least, I never saw it that way.

Besides, she had a Holy affinity if I ever saw one. She was no dual like me, the attempt would probably kill her. And I'd kill everyone else. Then Julia would have ChaosDukemon eviscerate me for the new little shits to look at on their first day.

That was a threat she gave us on a weekly basis during invasion drills. As far as I knew, no one had ever fucked up bad enough for her to have to carry it out.

Didn't mean it hadn't ever happened.

When the match ended, my fingers threaded through Yuki's hair. "Well, he done sucked."

"Owes me bourbon," Ponch grumbled, having busied himself with healing his Digimon.

"Don't let the Chief hear you say that," Barone advised now from on the floor. "You know her and the alcohol." Yuki went to bother her as Gutts returned to the room.

"Any of you say shit, I'm going into your rooms and switching your shampoo with alcohol," he warned, sitting on the other side of the room with a glare on his face.

"Good luck getting past security," Dorothy giggled. "And Duke."

"Phascomon would throw you into the lake before that even came close to happening," I said dryly.

Yuki laughed. "I wanna see that!"

"You're not gonna, Dad would kill me."

"Aww..."

That got Gutts to crack a smile. "Your sister has to win it for us. Make sure she does, kay?"

"I don't have to." Yuki turned up her nose. "Nee-san will win because she's  _competent_."

I would have fallen off the bench from laughter if Newton hadn't caught me. Gutts' ears turned red.

I loved my sister sometimes.

* * *

I decided to kill time until my match by wandering the lobby. I made sure, for the fifth time, that my bandanna was covering my bandage. Couldn't let people think I was weak or something like that. Hell no. The chatter was kinda funny though.

"Hey, did you see that slip..."

"No way, it's totally gonna be a landslide. Night Claw's used to surprises..."

I felt myself perk up. Surprise, huh? Maybe the Chief decided the early matches were just not flashy enough. Heh, I could dig that.

"Sayo."

I turned and grinned wide. "Speak of the devil and she shall appear in all of her majestic glory." I pretended to bow. "What can I do for you, my queen? Lick your boots, polish your armor, give myself over?"

"Don't give the spectators any ideas," Julia said with a smile that I knew as both predatory and amused. "They have enough for the tabloids without you and I making the front page of the truly deranged."

"I dare someone to put my bare behind on a magazine cover; it'd give people heart palpitations," I muttered, before peering up at her again. "So, Chief, how's my luck?"

Julia thought about it and ChaosDukemon spoke for her. "Keep your head and try not to get killed and the stars are on your side."

"You really  _are_  encouraging, ChaosDukemon," trilled a voice from the other side of the lobby. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention and ducked my head to keep from revealing the cringing expression on my face.

Hot damn. That was a strong ass blast of Holy energy. I swear it made the room gleam.

I can feel a headache coming on.

I wasn't sure if Julia noticed, but I felt her hand at my arm, shifting me to her side. It was probably half because me and half because of the man striding at the side of an elegantly armored woman. You know, the one with the aura of God's angels.

I looked at Julia and had to keep my face in its set frown. Julia's smile was as sweet and pressworthy as she ever let it get in public, but I knew that gleam in her eyes. That was her: I have dinner practically on the plate expression.

So. That made that man Chief Glare.

Well, objectively, I could see the appeal. He was fit, had to be to have an Ofanimon running the world. He was dressed like a knight without armor, casual enough to look like an ordinary person.

He sure as hell didn't smell ordinary to me though. His friendly, though solemn smile wasn't enough to fool me either. He and Julia had the same look in their eyes.

Damn, if only that wouldn't be a breach of protocol. I imagine their idea of a romantic night out is massacre in the old ruins of Sky Palace. No wonder we have these tournaments.

ChaosDukemon broke the tension first. "Well, Ofanimon, we both tend to have methods that lean towards the unorthodox. Clearly, Sayo here doesn't seem to mind a bit."

I took my cue. "Nah, of course not. I find it kind of bracing actually, preparing me for the flawed teachers and failed job interviews when I'm too honest."

Ofanimon laughed again. It was a nice laugh, like wind chimes. Yuki would eat it up. "You've trained her well. Does she ask how high to jump too?"

"Ofanimon," Glare scolded, though his lips twitched in amusement. "Behave yourself." He leveled his amber gaze at me. "I'm sorry, it's the tournament. She's usually such a sweetheart."

"Oh, I like her honesty," I said with a grin. "I was going to ask you the same if given permission."

I felt ChaosDukemon restrain a snort. Oh yeah, I had been trained very well.

Julia hid her smile before turning to Glare once more. There wasn't just a challenge in that face, there was nearly a declaration of war using a bloodied flag with sinew thread all over it. "Are you enjoying the matches so far?"

Glare placed his hands in his pockets. I thought that was rather uncivilized for a chief officer to do, but he was the chief officer, he could do whatever he wanted, I guess. "A lot more than I expected to this early on," he admitted with a wink in my direction. Oh lord, he was trying to get under Julia's skin. Didn't he realize she and I had that down to a science? "Yours are very good."

"We have enough training in the ruins to make sure they won't jump at every crack," Julia hummed, trailing her fingers over the creases of my bandanna. "Your children are very good as well, focused, determined. Your little champion has had a great deal of training."

In other words, how many times did you punt his rear into the ocean? I hope it was a lot, it would explain his hair.

Glare was unruffled. The more he stood there, the more I got an image of a boy who smoked a joint in the back of the school but still showed up with high grades and a winning smile. "Could say the same to you."

"Well, you've both been said to take the  _personal_  approach," commented another voice from the direction Glare and his partner had come from. An orange-haired teen came strolling towards us, and I figured that would be Koh right there.

Nah, lemme correct myself. The kid didn't just stroll, he  _strode_ , like he owned the fuck out of the room and everyone in it and he didn't care if we liked it or not. There was swagger in that walk and if I had been any less of a coldhearted brat, I'd have swooned. Lucky for me, I've got that lovely self-control.

Too earnest eyes, brilliant red, with none of their extreme focus from before, looked into mine as he slipped into a salute. "Koh of Light Fang, champion of group B at your service. Pleasure to meet you."

I paused a half-second, taking in the pristine kid standing in front of me, and debated. Then I smiled. There was only one proper response to prey with a mouth.

I bowed, so low and deep it couldn't be mistaken for anything less than an insult. Purple eyes flashing, pendant bouncing at my chest, I lifted my head with the smirk I always loved. "Sayo of Night Claw. The pleasure is  _all mine_."


	6. The Thing About Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry about the lack of posting for this! The fight scene gave me some trouble. Ah, well, back now. Here we go! Side note: Why am I calling the team Sayo is on Night Claw? Night Crow was a mistranslation by the team who did the translation.

I felt him bristle a little as I straightened myself to proper height. I looked him up and down. Damn bastard was taller than me. How rude. Bad enough I look like a curvy boy on the bad day, now this prim bastard had to surpass me.

I thought it about again and my grin stretched my face. More meat to rip up.

… I really needed to stop teaming up with Dorothy.

"Is something wrong?" I asked with a smile that would have been pleasant from anyone but a Night Claw.

Thankfully, he caught himself, and I saw Glare's eyes glitter. I could feel Julia containing mirth behind me. She really had to behave herself. I wanted to laugh too!

"Pleased to meet you," he finally said. The look on his face was priceless. He was trying not to twitch. I loved it. I stepped closer to Julia's side. "Ready for a good match?"

 _Ready for a good slaughtering._ I decided not to say this, and only smiled. "Always."

Glare coughed, glancing at the clock. "You two ought to head back and rest. The match will be starting shortly."

Julia's smile only softened. "Too right, Glare. We'll see each other after the match." She wheeled me about, and we went back into the waiting room. "Excited, are we?"

"Look in a mirror." My words were half-hearted. I kept glancing at the clock as we walked.

Julia mussed my hair in this way that was almost like she cared. Damn, was she okay? Was being around that dude like: a soothing technique? No wonder the tournaments were only once a year. Then she leaned a bit closer. "The last round is gonna be fun. Don't play around too long, though."

"Don't worry, ma'am," I said with a shark's smile. "I'll make a spectacle of myself for you."

"It's not that I'm worried about."

Before I could ask what she meant, she let go of me and marched over to the other Tamers.

I scowled at her back. "God damn you and your cryptic shit."

"It's just her way of showing love," Duke said above my head, chuckling beneath his armor.

"Speak for yourself. You know what she's saying."

* * *

I wiped sweat from my brow.  _It is way too hot for this._ I glanced up at the artificial canopy and grinned to myself. Oh well.

For the final match, the game masters (or Julia, probably Julia) decided to mix things up by making us fight in a simulation of Resistor Jungle. It brought tension, created atmosphere, and was _still_ way too damn warm. Access Glacier has less cover but it would have been easier to breathe.

Gaomon yipped near my ear and I looked up, scrambling from a burst of flame. I bit my lip and grinned. Good to know he had a brain inside that hair of his. The lion cub dropped and rolled, lunging for me. I grinned and punched it right back in the nose. Ow.

For the record, it was a Child level. I'm not saying its attacks won't hurt (fire hurts!) but a human can still kick one and send it back a bit.

That's exactly what I did. The Coronamon skidded, crouched, then lunged again. This one was not very creative. Its burning fists met Solarmon's face. My gear, loyal though she was, let out a whine of pain. I winced, but the other two gears she had circling around her like hands shot forward and struck Coronamon in his head. He grunted and moved forward again. I skidded back into a tree, ducking and rolling.  _Move_ , my mind said. Good thing I listened.

A rod struck where my head once was and I hurried into the undergrowth. Come on offense boy. Come and get me.

"And how long can the Night Claw's hiding game last?" I heard over my head. Stupid referee, they wouldn't be able to see me without the monitors telling them where I was.

"Come on, where's your offense?" Pulsa's voice. I knew it pretty well from his shouts during the fight. It was easy to hear over the noises of the hologram. I just ignored him. He had a bigger mouth than he did a brain.

The other Light Fang began to shout with him, but the Night Claw were quiet.

Then Newton shouted. "How do you know what her offense looks like? You were too busy  _pouting_ to fight properly!"

I snorted and rolled my eyes. Newton, you idiot. You can't get into a fist fight in the bleachers... probably.

I tuned them out at Gaomon's soft whisper. "Now."

I smiled at the rustle of the bushes and leaped.

Koh yelped and swung. I tackled him and we both rolled. He punched without any hesitation and it smarted, striking my nose and the side of my cheek. He wasn't too noble to not hit a girl. I could respect that.

Unfortunately, I wasn't one to hesitate at the sight of an opening either. I kicked up towards the groin and barely waited for the yelp of pain before kicking again.. He leaped away from me and I tackled him, trying to pin him down. "Luna!"

I rolled off and Lunamon jumped in my place and struck with claws dripping green. He howled pain and the entire stadium went silent.

Despite the silence, I could imagine Julia was smiling.

What, he attacked me with his Digimon too!

I didn't hesitate to run back, gather myself. Koh's eyes were dazed and I licked my lips as they refocused. His Coronamon was glaring at me from his spot on the tree. Thankfully, he was stupid enough (or controlled enough?) to attack Luna instead. They became a multicolored blur of snarling and blood. Boy, was I glad this wasn't the real jungle. We'd have been screwed because tunnel vision.

Koh forced himself to his feet. "Your friends said you were nuts." His voice came out hoarse, ragged with pain. I was a bit proud of myself for causing that. "I didn't want to believe them."

"You probably should have," I said, raising my fists. My body instantly hated me for it. It was probably still sore from the nice cracking it got in my second fight, not to mention the head wound and being hit by a Digimon.

So, he was poisoned, I was tired. Oh, this was gonna suck.

He straightened his stance and that was when I ran forward, swinging a fist to hit his neck. Had to end this fast before I gave out or the poison killed him. Whichever was better.

Koh beat me to it though. His knee hit my stomach and I doubled with a snarl. I swung myself backwards over the pain. I knew what he was trying to hit: my neck. Like hell I was gonna make it that easy on  _him_  either. Solarmon caught me and lifted me away. I wiped my mouth but kept the smile.

This was fun, actually.

Koh rubbed his eyes and whistled. Coronamon pulled away reluctantly and seconds later, I figured out why.

"Seadramon!" Koh shouted. Over our heads flew a large sea serpent, water roiling near his mouth.

I tried not to laugh too hard. Okay, this kid was a little more clever than I thought. "Sorry, Sasha," I said to Solarmon.

"Just go, tick," she muttered. I did, leaping from her face to tackle Koh over. I had to ignore Solarmon's scream as she was hit by the ice. He glowered and punched. This was slower than the last and I managed to move my head.

"That all ya got," I challenged through a wheeze. The stomach kick had hurt a little more than I thought it would. I was gonna be feeling this tomorrow. I punched and he kicked at my foot. I blew on my fingers as I skidded backwards.

He grinned at me, though it was strained and weak. "Glad to see you can get ruffled after all..." He was losing focus again. I tackled him. Lose focus, you die, short-stuff!

"Sis, get 'em!" Yuki's voice rang out so loud in the nearly silent hall. "Show 'em your claws! Rip 'em up!"

My heart warmed for a moment, then I ducked my head and shoved. This time, when I pulled myself out of range, Lunamon plopped herself in front of me. Her claws were lifted and glowing purple. "Ya still kicking there?"

"I'll kill him for hitting you," was her bloodthirsty reply.

"You bitch," I said without malice. "I'm runnin' low on gas. Better make..." I swayed suddenly. The jungle was starting to spin. Fuck. Not good, really not good. "We're gotta make it fast."

She didn't turn to look at me, only nodded and charged forward, ears spinning out bubbles. I leaped into the froth after her, chasing Koh into the soap and making him hiss in pain.

"Too bad ya didn't cut me, huh bastard?" I crowed as the soap dug itself into his arms. He glared at me and slammed his head into mine.

I swore in pain, stumbling back.

This time, his punch in the throat succeeded.

I used this opportunity to trip him.

Beside us, Coronamon had bitten Lunamon's arm. She cut his back.

Dear god, we were savages that day. And it was  _awesome_.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever. I managed to uppercut him to the chin. His head smacked the tree he had been bracing his foot against, and he fell forward and faceplanted into the dirt. He didn't move.

I grinned, a toothy, bloody grin, and made to smirk at the cameras. At that instant, though, I felt all of the adrenaline that had probably been pumping me since before sunrise drain like fluid from a bottle, and I passed out.

Which, just so you know, hurts like hell.

* * *

When I woke up, the first thing I was aware of was my father's hand in my hair. I knew his hand, kind of thin, a little worn from ;ong hours and sickness and what was probably my mother's issues. I didn't mind it, he was stroking gently against my bangs, but when my body twitched, he instantly pulled away. He understood.

Unfortunately, personal space was not a thing Yuki was good at. As soon as I groaned loudly enough, she tackled me.

"You were so cool, sis!"

"And now I'm in  _so_  much pain," I grumbled. I couldn't even sit up yet. God... freaking artificial environments weren't supposed to be that real.

"The emulator effects should wear off soon," my father murmured. "I tweaked them a few days ago."

I tried to grin, but I think it was a grimace. I dunno, I'm shit at smiling.

"So," I said, once I could sit up properly. "Was it a win or not?"

"You almost won."

Julia had been standing in the doorway of the infirmary the entire time? Damn her to hell.

"Almost?" I repeated, feeling an irritating itch at the base of my neck.

"You passed out before the call was made." Julia went over to me and rapped my forehead. I winced. "So... technically it was a draw."

"I can smell a 'but' in there boss," I muttered. "I don't think it's rosy, either."

"Koh conceded," Julia said with a sardonic smile.

It took a moment for that to sink in. Then I glared at the curtains. "That pretentious  _asshole._ "


	7. Not Getting Enough Sleep

I couldn't help grumbling the entire way out of the medical area and past the wait room. I mean, seriously, that was humiliating. In a fight, if your opponent shows you pity, they're stupid. Where did this guy learn to fight, chivalry 101? You didn't bow out to a Digimon that was trying to rip your face off!

"Sis, your ears are smoking," Yuki said by my arm from where she was clinging to it. I tried to breathe.

It didn't work too well. "I really am gonna murder him, I swear."

"Now, now," ChaosDukemon chided. "Murder him today and you can't humiliate him tomorrow."

"You men and your pissing contests..."

"Women do the exact same thing, you're just less overt about it."

I glared at the dark knight, unable to counter that. Damn him sometimes, I swear. Absently I threaded my fingers through Yuki's hair. I was limping. I could feel every ache in every muscle and the worst part was how good it was. I can still remember when the pain would be absolutely shitty and the line between shitty pain and sweet pain was choice and I chose this.

Didn't make it hurt any less though.

"Sayo!" Newton waved at me as he and Dorothy headed towards the exit. "You look like shit!"

I tried to grin, it came out more like a grimace. "So long as I don't look like you, I think I'll live."

Dorothy giggled and led him away. Newton shot me a rude gesture as they vanished from view and I only stuck out my tongue. ChaosDukemon's lance was pretty damn close to my head after all.

"He's just jealous he didn't make it that far," Yuki said to me. I snorted.

"He should be happy. This hurts."

"Stop complaining." Julia appeared at my shoulder and pulled on my ear. I pouted at her but said nothing. I wasn't allowed to bitch? Really? What had she and Glare done behind one of the security cameras?

On second thought, I didn't want to know.

Then again, judging by the way Glare was standing when we met him in the lobby, it was pretty obvious. God.

"Interesting match," Glare said when we saluted. I tried not to roll my eyes. We had tried to kill each other. He chuckled. "Probably wasn't interesting to you, but fascinating to watch." He chuckled. "It's been a while since someone's made Koh angry."

"Funny," I muttered. "I could say the same."

Ophanimon chuckled. I was starting to think that lady was not all right in the head. Then again, she was a  _Light Fang_ , so it was likely she wasn't all that sane anyway. "The best rivalries are the ones that get under your skin."

I raised an eyebrow. If she was saying Koh and I would end up like the chiefs, I fully planned to cremate myself alive. Imagining that was creepy as hell. That was a disturbing rivalry, we didn't need to repeat it.

"I do apologize for him," Glare said. I frowned and he added. "Sometimes his honor overrides his good sense." I heard Julia snort from behind me and hid a smile. Guess it was a teaching passed down through the generations.

"Don't worry," I said. I felt Yuki's fingers curl around my pant leg. "I'll make sure to crush him some other time. Until then..." I leaned a bit on my side, trailing off. I hoped I didn't have to explain that I was bone-dead tired and I swore new muscles were throbbing. I didn't say this, all too aware of Julia at my shoulders.

Glare laughed at my comment. "As expected of one of Julia's kids. Well," he gave a loose wave. "I suppose we should get going. See you tomorrow, Julia."

"May the Bronze tournament be more in your favor." Julia looked so amused. She was probably still thinking about that "good sense" comment.

"These aren't the death matches anymore Julia," he shot back, striding away.

I glanced at Julia. "Death matches?" Where was I when this was happening? Volunteering my mother would have been perfect.

Julia snorted. "Early days of Tamer Union had death matches in City streets while we created the Light Fang and Night Claw teams. It's not a pretty part of history."

"Which is probably why you love it so much."

Julia opened her mouth, either to agree or counter my point, not sure, but Duke cleared his throat. It was a rather quiet noise, and it made us both turn. He was looking in the direction Glare had gone.

I saw a robe swish as it turned and cackled, floating away. This guy wasn't very original, was he?

Julia cursed and went bolting after it with ChaosDukemon in tow.

I touched Yuki's head. "Go to Dad, okay?"

She pouted at me. "But Sayo..."

"No 'buts'. Go." I tried to keep my face as stern as possible.

She threw me a withering look, but obeyed, heading towards the visitor's entrance. I limped forward, holding my Digivice in one hand. "Luna, Gao, can you guys move?" I knew Sasha was too worn out from being hit by ice.

"Yep!"

"All clear, boss."

I nodded. They didn't have to see it to know that. I leaned on the edge of the doorframe. I highly doubted I'd be doing shit, but I wanted to hear this nutter. What kinda moron goes to a DigiArea when crazies are running around and laughs about it?

… Well, okay, I lived in Darkmoon. There had to be  _somebody_.

To the freakshow's credit, he didn't look intimidated by the guards surrounding him at all. The amber eyes seemed to wander from person to person. Julia and Glare looked particularly murderous.

"Escaping before the game starts is rather rude," Julia told said weirdo. Her lips were pursed, it was almost prudish.

Glare took a step to the side, letting Ophanimon level her spear. It was beginning to crackle with iridescent light.

Well. I hope to never be on the other side of  _that_.

The robed freak didn't even seem scared. He continued to look around, until his eyes locked on me. It felt like someone had stabbed me in the brain. I swayed and leaned against the wall. It felt like someone had set my blood on fire. My head buzzed, drowning out the shouts and grumbles of the people around me.

I dimly heard it cackle, and then my head cleared.

Freakshow had left the building.

* * *

If I had been maybe five percent smarter and ten percent more awake, I would have told Julia what had happened after I finished my briefing about the tournaments with her. I barely even heard her tell me there was a gift at my house.

I'm pretty sure Gaomon helped me walk back to the teleportation pad. I don't even think I got sick this time. That was how damn tired I was. The soreness from the trees was gone, but I had gotten up early and battled  _four_ times.

I was aware enough to notice that Darkmoon, usually a little more lively after a tournament, was pretty hushed. Most of the Tamers were probably at the gym. Or maybe the three Platinum Tamers were in town. Aw, if I could lift my arms, I'd go punch one for a fight. They usually kicked everyone's butt, except Julia, duh. But watching them fight each other was a masterpiece.

Gaomon managed to get me into the portal. I looked up at Dorothy, who was standing by the interface with one of her dreamy, crazy ass grins. "What?" I grumbled to her.

"Oh, nothing!" Dorothy smiled wider. "You just look terrible."

"You and I have been up since before the sun. No shit."

She laughed. "I know, I'm sorry." She wasn't sorry. I know Dorothy. "Want me to give you a bath?"

"You're scared of looking at my ass."

Dorothy shrugged. "Julie won't be home for hours. Help me conquer my fear."

 _How can you call the most terrifying woman on the server_  Julie? I yawned and stretched my arm until I heard the bones crack. "You know, Newton might suspect something."

Dorothy's eyebrow quirked. "Don't see why. It's not like I want to go to his sty of a house."

I snorted. "Point taken. Come on, before I faceplant into the pad."

She smiled and danced after me.

Dorothy and I have always had a weird as fuck friendship. She would do whatever she wanted in my house and I would indulge her liking of close contact. Took ages to get used to. I blame it on Julia, personally.

I learned to get used to it.

When I fell asleep not even an hour later, I dreamed of plates flying over my head, blood on my face, and a voice that sounded like television static, telling me to let go.


	8. Skull and No Crossbones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this was supposed to be up yesterday! Sorry! unfortunately, when I went to post, my internet decided that it was a good time to be spotty. Gotta love school internet right? Anyway, I need to go work on Opening now so I can hopefully put it up. Later guys! Please drop a review if you enjoyed this! Also, this was supposed to be a little bit silly. I have no clue what happened there.
> 
> As a side note, Darkmoon is small in the games. There is no way I can keep it like that in a fic. That's just silly.
> 
> Also, I apologize for the swearing. Sayo has been having a very bad week.

"Sayo! Sayo, wake up!"

I swear to God. I probably have slept for maybe two hours. It couldn't have been more than that. If someone wasn't dying or something, they were  _going_ to be when I got through with them.

Dorothy kept shaking me. I squint glared at her. At least my body wasn't hurting anymore, but I was stiff, god damn it. This was why you didn't wake people up on their way to REM. It sucked!

"What the hell's goin' on?"

Dorothy sighed and that made me try to sit up. Dorothy hardly ever looked serious, like for real. I'd seen her face a Musyamon and giggle. Of course, said Musyamon met the business end of Duke's lance but hey. The image is what I was getting at. "City's been attacked, and I can't contact Julie..."

I grimaced as I cracked my back. "It's been attacked? While we were asleep?" I made a reluctant attempt towards my actual clothes. "Everybody alive?"

"No idea." Dorothy chewed on her lip. If we weren't in possibly deep crap, I'd have told her she looked hilarious with her hair sticking up like that. "I can't get through on my Digivice and you've locked yours for some reason, so I can't check on yours."

I glared. "You've never let Newton near your electronics, have you?" I picked mine up and unlocked it. "You guys okay in there?"

"Kind of tired, tick," Solarmon groaned. "It's hard to hear you, tick."

"Your energy isn't flowing towards us as easily either," Gaomon reported.

Shit, he didn't sound too good either. "Luna?"

"I've been better, but I can fight!"

I swore that bunny ran on nothing less than pure psychosis and cinnamon rolls. "Good, 'cause we're goin' in." I hopped to get dressed. "Dorothy, can you try and contact the others? I don't really mind being a one-woman army, but it'd be nice to attempt at backup."

Dorothy nodded and the fact that she didn't make a weird ass remark  _worried_ me. "Be chaotic, okay?"

That was her way of saying to be careful. "Always." I pulled on my goggles and hurried towards the portal.

Whoever did this would pay for waking me up after a match.

… I know. I have the best priorities.

* * *

Darkmoon felt like shit.

This was funny to think because we already gave off the sensation that we were a shitty city, dim lights, dark colors, creepy laughing moons on some of the sidewalk tiles. Surprisingly, we don't have much in the way of light pollution and stuff. Don't ask how it works, the Digital World is a fucked up place sometimes.

Seriously though, running through the roads, I didn't see cars and all the passerby were unconscious with eggs rolling around in the street. Are you seriously gonna tell me that ain't creepy? Some of those Digimon were probably  _Perfects_! I mean damn...

Wonder if Sunshine got hit too. It was a lot easier to see there.

I really hoped it didn't spread to the resident district. Dad and Yuki did not  _need_ that mess.

I stopped walking for a minute and groaned. "Couldn't the bastard have left an 'I'm here to get my ass kicked' trail? Is that too much to ask for?"

No answer. I stopped to take a glance at a few of the Tamers. Older Normals, there was a Silver who looked like she had hit her head, a lot of Bronze, someone from the trainee section. All of them looked like they'd taken a really bad ecstasy trip. No, I do not do drugs, and thank god. Luna and the others have enough problems without that.

I kept walking. Now, if I was stupid enough to attack City, where would I fucking go-oh.

I paused to curse. A lot.

I bolted, wishing I had a bicycle that wasn't broken so I could fly to the command center. Or some roller skates. Something!

I just had to hoof it and pray Julia and Duke weren't completely worn out from the snark fest this morning.

* * *

The closer I had gotten to the office, the more I felt like I didn't actually have legs. It was like my bones were melting, like every brain synapse fired the same idea like a gatling gun: stop walking. Unfortunately for whoever the bastard was, they underestimated the fact that unless they were stronger than me, I  _hated_ uppity bastards telling me what to do. And even if they were, I _still_ didn't like it.

So I pushed on. "You guys ready in there?"

"Yeah!"

"Phasers set to murder, tick."

That comment almost made me smile through the nausea of the teleportation pad. Almost.

That smile completely slid off my face as soon as we landed.

"Ow, what the shit?"

The room I landed in was like fluorescent lights on acid. This was  _not_  Sunshine City, so clearly we had a problem.  _Ow._ I stepped forward as quietly as I could, shading my eyes. An electric ball whizzed over my head and I ducked, feeling it crash into the wall behind me. It made my body vibrate and I clutched at the wall. I really hope my brain didn't just slosh out of my head by my ears. Ewww. I'd seen brains before, okay? Ewww...

I moved a bit faster, stepping towards the center of the room. Through the light, I could see Raigo on the ground, blood dripping from his mouth and glasses shattered. Zanbamon was...

Oh damn. God, the Tamer Homes have some  _awesome_  security. I had never even seen what Zanbamon's egg  _looked_  like until now.

Wait a minute. Wait a god damn minute.

Was that floating thing an egg? Was I looking at a giant egg trying to murder my commander? Or maybe it was a messed up Christmas light.

… The Digital World was made on drugs, I swear.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Fuck me light! You're facing the wrong way!"

I know, shouting that was pretty stupid, but it was also hella fun. I ran forward. Julia was one knee, shielded by ChaosDukemon's cape. I saw it behind the radiating aura of serious pain. I'm pretty sure the only reason I could still move forward was because I was freaking mad as hell that I had to be woken up for this.

Also, Julia looked hurt. That wasn't cool.

I didn't think, I let my partners out and moved closer. It turned, such a delay I know, with a skull for a face like a bad pirate flag. It cackled at me, like actually  _cackled_. Isn't that movie villain level derp?

Julia lifted her head. "Sayo... good timing."

"Not for me it wasn't," I quipped as the Christmas light of doom came closer. "Gaomon, punch it!"

Gaomon tried and was blasted back by eye rays. Was it just me or did he seem slower than usual? The rays lunged towards me and I ducked behind Solarmon, who groaned.

"Really hot, tick..."

Luna, being unable to take any harm towards my person lying down, bristled and lunged forward, claws glowing purple. I wasn't even surprised at the fact that she hit, more at the look on the enemy's face when it got hit. It looked way too cartoony to be real.

But it was.

Electricity burst from its body. I ducked and rolled and barely saw Solarmon swing a gear. I am always making sure not to piss off my giant gear. She's scary, okay?

The creature didn't even seem to feel it, or care, it was cackling again, and the noise grated into my ears like rough violin strings and all I could think of was a woman's laughter and hands trying to rip my hair off of its scalp and my nerves snapped.

My Digimon were  _beat._ I could feel their weariness in my own bones and I have never done that before. I don't have enough empathy, by my own admission, but I felt it now. They were all still done from the match, each electric bolt coming closer and closer to zapping them and ruining them entirely.

That said, they were still going and still charging like the devil was on their asses and I could feel each tired teeth grit and all I was thinking was a stream off curse words and the blood in my ears and before I knew it I was charging like my mother was at my heels holding a broken bottle. I leaped on the Christmas light.

Big regret there. I was promptly electrocuted for my efforts. It was like being struck by lightning if you ever have been. Not an experience worth repeating. I screamed, and I swore my voice cracked. But I dragged up my Soul and it opened up and drove the creature back right into ChaosDukemon's spear.

The creature made a strangled noise and I dropped to my knees, looking for air in desperate wheezes. Gaomon managed to keep me standing and I raised my head to see Julia pulling herself back up, purple eyes turning black in rage.

Oh  _shit._

I have never seen Julia look like that. Let me tell you, I never want to see her that visibly murderous ever again.

" _Filth_ ," she said, and the word was said in a voice as calm and cool as Access Glacier on a spring day. If I couldn't see her face, I'd have thought she wasn't about ready to start peeling off layers of neon sign over there. That one word said thirty profanities, six violent oaths, and more as ChaosDukemon twisted his spear further in until I saw the tip peeking through above the comical face. Was it made of gelatin or something?

Its surprised face turned back into that bony, disembodied grin and it let out another cackle. I made to move forward, but then it vanished.

ChaosDukemon's spear shrank back into an arm and slumped back down. I hit my knees.

"You are one reckless brat," Julia muttered when she finally managed to pull herself to my side.

"J-Just c-cause you l-like to pluh-hay the hero," I stuttered back.

At least I didn't pass out this time.


	9. Dead Garbage Reek

It took me three days to recover enough to help out with the repairs. Honestly, Julia wanted me to be in bed longer, so did I, but there weren't enough hands for the repair programs. Also, movies lie. That shit takes forever.

I cracked my knuckles, stretching in my seat and waiting for the new lines of code to appear. At least we got comfy chairs while we did this shit. Urgh. Lunamon made an irritated grunt from inside the computer system, but I could hear Solarmon singing.

I didn't want to know, honest. It was probably something about time being evil.

"This is bull!"

"Shaddup Gutts!" Newton yelled back. "None of us want to be here, especially not to hear you whine."

_Amen._

"Hmph, speak for yourself." I heard the slide of a chair on metal and the chair creak as it was tipped. He was such a dramatic. "This isn't what my brain was meant to do!"

"Your brain was meant to be turned to mush!" I hollered at him. "Seriously, CITY got screwed while you were sleepin' peacefully and I was being kicked around by a Christmas tree light. Unless you wanna take my place right here in Soresville, you're going to shut up and do what the Chief said. Clear?"

I felt him glare at me, but I couldn't bring myself to care very much. Only at his very sulky affirmative did I relax in my chair. Like seriously, I can whine with the worst of them, but did he have to do it now? We were all pretty uncomfortable.

My Digivice let out another chime and I adjusted it, looking back at the data. "How is it looking, Newton?"

"A disaster," he replied, scanning each line so fast, I had to wonder if he was actually reading that mess. "You weren't kidding when you said CITY got screwed. It's a bloody miracle we've got the facilities up and running. The data's so corrupted, even the backups aren't doing much good." He wrinkled his nose. "You'd think that would mean we'd up security."

"Even our Tamer Homes got hit though," Barone mumbled. "And that was as powerful as we're able to get without legal issues. Tamer Union's never been all that good at communication."

"It's Zhuqiaomon," Ponch muttered. "I've never heard any stories of him knowing what communication was." He let out a quiet groan, shaking his hands to get the stiffness out.

Dorothy trotted up behind me. "Sayo, Julie wants to see you. Newton too."

I rolled my eyes and popped my shoulders. Of course she did. Not like I really minded, but yeesh. I pulled my Digivice from the console with no small amount of relief. Gutts grumbled something at me as I passed. Newton flicked a pebble at him. Why he kept those in his pockets, I would never know.

Julia was staring at the cracked monitor behind her, analyzing the data. "We're blocked off from trade routes with the Dark Areas, and Center Bridge is completely shattered. We're sitting ducks with guns pointed at our heads."

"So why weren't we wiped out?" ChaosDukemon's voice was more thoughtful than amused for once. "We have no way of obtaining supplies necessary for fixing the CITY, we're cut off from the residental district-"

A fact that seriously pissed me off.-

"And Sunshine hasn't sent any reports to the Tamer Union yet."

Julia snorted. "You make it sound like Glare would bother to attack us."

"He wouldn't?" ChaosDukemon sighed. "I believe this is too properly timed. That robed figure wasn't exactly terrified."

"Though he should have been," Julia muttered.

I cleared my throat.

"Eavesdropping, were you?" ChaosDukemon's drawling words sounded as amused as ever. Arrogant pillock.

I slouch a bit, put some wait off one of my injured legs. "Not like you were bein' quiet over there. I bet Sunshine heard ya."

"We should hope not." Julia's voice was something like a cat battering its toy to death in play, but I doubted she was joking. "Now, you three."

I became uncomfortably aware of Newton and Dorothy standing to attention. Just for that, I kept slouching. Not that Julia cared. "Yes, sir?" Only Newton could, would sound timid. I really wanted to know where Julia had dug him up.

Julia's eyes grew thoughtful. "Good to see you all looking healthy. Now then, we're still rather cut off from most of the areas, but we have managed to regain the addresses to three hours. Newton, I'm sending you to Thriller Ruins."

"Aye!" I tried not to roll my eyes at that response. He loved that place, creepy shit and all.

Julia glanced at her niece, who had begun to sway gently back and forth. "Dorothy, take Chip Forest."

Dorothy waved her fingers in acknowledgment.

"Sayo, you'll be investigating Sunken Tunnel. I want you three to let me know of anything unusual. God knows if whatever that freak did affected anyone else."

The three of us saluted, me for the sake of not falling over from elbow to the nose.

"Chief!"

Oh shit Gutts, why…?

He was not strolling up here like a fucking idiot, was h- oh shit, there he was. God damn it, this was gonna end badly. I took Dorothy and Newton by the wrist and pulled them to the side. I did not want to be in the center of this.

Ponch and Barone were following Gutts. Ponch had a look of discomfort on his face while Barone looked torn between turning back and staying right where she was. I really had to wonder where she dug her courage out of sometimes.

"There's no way you can just send three operatives out there by themselves," Gutts continued. I really didn't think he thought this through. Julia was smiling. Bad shit happened no matter what expression she had on, but a smile was rarely nice.

Newtwon snorted. "Not if one of the operatives is you," he muttered and Dorothy let out a dazed giggle.

Ponch glared before speaking up for his cousin. "It'd be faster if it's two people per area, right? Someone can call for backup if something goes-"

"Like hell."

It was a completely unprofessional thing to say, supposedly, but Julia said it. Dorothy giggled into my shoulder and Barone took a step back. She'd probably seen Julia pissed before. I'd heard details about her father. She would want to see it even less than me.

Without thinking, I rubbed my jaw for a muzzle.

Julia wasn't irritated, not yet, but the way she stood was a danger warning.

"You six, Raigo, and myself are the best defense of CITY right now," she said, and I was impressed with the utter lack of bullshitting. "The rest are still trying to repair Digivice programs and get their partners to stop phasing. We don't have any time for little heroics. You go, we have next to nothing."

"Not that we have much to begin with," ChaosDukemon said in a voice so low, I was surprised I heard it.

Julia kicked him without looking and didn't wince. Damn, those were some tough boots. I wanted some. "The point is, Gutts, that you are necessary here, and even after your displays in the Normal Tournament, I can't trust the three of you to go off on your own and be safe. You trained in team missions, containment, formations. Your team isn't suited to go off on individual patrols yet. That's what I trained those three in first."

"Because one of us is a shitty team player," Newto said in my ear. I snatched his glasses.

Damn right I was, but he didn't have to come out and say it. "Mostly because you take too long."

"But we-" Gutts protested. "It's a learning experience!"

"It'll be a shitty learning experience if you die," Dorothy singsonged. "Julie said "like hell" so like hell you're going out there and being eviscerated."

I almost snorted as Julia stepped back, moving to her battered chair. "Exactly. You will do more good here than you will out there." Her expression almost softened. "I know you're bored. You just need to wait it out a little longer."

I could feel Gutts seething. "Right. Fine… we get it. Let's go, guys."

When they left, Julia regarded the three of us again. "All right, I'm counting on you three. Let me know if you find anything, though if you don't, all the better."

We saluted again and left.

…

Before I went to the teleportation pad, I went to set up my FARM. I had spare data from running patrols, and it'd be good to have some critters running around a swim away. We used to be able to visit the farms all of the time. Then the hacks started and well… there was some other, crazy, scary shit. Julia and Glare were apparently the reason we all aren't dead. Dayummm….

So I typed at my computer for a few minutes more. "The critters in there guys?"

Gaomon nodded and Luna let out a little huff. Damn weirdos.

I unplugged the Digivice. Not that the little babies could do much damage, but I had like, six critters in there. Might as well take some with me.

The city looked better than earlier. No passed out people, but there were some half-conscious Digimon running around. Trust me when I say, creepy.

"Halt!"

Aw shit.

I stepped back into the view of the Kapurimon blocking the CITY exit. Nothing more demeaning than being stuck with your  _tail_ as a weapon. "Yeah?"

They squinted at me for a moment. Did they forget what I looked like in that mess? They remained tense, then relaxed a little. "Oh, it's you Sayo. Sorry about that, off on your quest?"

"Not much of a quest, but yeah." I scratched my head. "Something the matter?"

The Kapurimon on the right let out a snort. "Yeah. Dorothy just went through."

"That's supposed to happen."

His coworker shook his head. "The other three forced their way through when she went. My tail still smarts."

Other three. "Aw, shit..."

Damn Gutts and his inability to behave himself. Damn the other two for listening to him. "I'll take care of them," I said, hurrying forward. "Sorry about that."

I didn't notice the nausea this time, I was just that pissed.

Outside, Barone was fidgeting in front of the exit gate. Good. If she dawdled enough, I could still get them back in before Julia decided they would make good food for her pet Cerberumon. I've met that bastard. Nice fella most of the time.

Ponch gave Barone a shove. "Come on!"

One of the Tamer guards was trying to grab at Gutts' twig arms. "We're going to tell the chief about your insubordination, you hear me?"

It didn't sound all that threatening from this angle, but Gutts should have known better. He only scoffed and showed him the bird. "Yeah, yeah. You'll all see how dependable we are when we get back!" He jumped through and I groaned.

"I need duct tape. And a closet. And a dead bird. He hates the smell of rotten shit."

The guard turned to me, face sheepish. "Sorry about that, Sayo. Keep a lookout for them, okay? I'll go make the report."

"Yeah, do that."

When I got my hands on those three, I was wringing their necks.

For now though, to Sunken Tunnel I went. Not a fun experience.


	10. Tomato Juice Bath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you chapter, for finally being kind enough to grace me with your ending. Now I can move on to bigger and better things, like completion. And other fics. Or something. I have no idea. Anyway, please read and review and enjoy the references. I am no longer apologizing for Sayo's lack of a filter. It's too late now.

The source of the scream turned out to be from Barone, who was dodging around her partners from Gizamon spikes like some kind of ninja. I swear her family was supposed to be normal. Nah, never mind. Despite her grace, she was sweating like a pig. There were just too many of the critters on her back.

"Solar, death charge" My Digivice flashed like a lighthouse beacon and the Digimon turned just in time to get solid whacks to the head. Solarmon hovered by Barone's side and swung a gear again. Barone shrieked and ducked.

"Sayo, remind your Digimon to aim for the actual targets!"

Solarmon clicked. "I'll have you know that I  _am_ aiming, tick. You're just standing in the way."

Something in Barone's eyes looked near murderous and I groaned. Why did I live around women who could get as pissed off as I could? "Sorry, we don't exactly _like_  being here."

Barone sagged. "I know… I know, Sayo, I'm sorry."

I waited for the Gizamon to go back into the dirty water before going over. "Not nearly as sorry as you're gonna be when the chief gets her claws in you."

Barone sighed a bit, tugging at her hair. "Yes, I'm well aware… they just run on ahead and before I can really think about it..."

"They've dragged you along too," I finished, giving her an amused but disappointed grin. It was Barone. She was unfortunately good at succumbing to peer pressure.

She didn't wilt to me, which was good. She wasn't that unhappy. Barone loosened her fists and sighed. "I'll go on back."

I returned Solar to the Digivice, letting Gao out to sniff. Not that he'd have much luck. The place smelled way too much like waste and garbage. "You sure? I might need someone to watch my back. God knows they have enough to deal with with each other."

"And the Chief needs a reason not to kill Ponch and Gutts when they come running back with their tails between their legs because they didn't listen to her." Barone giggled. "Guess I'm waiting on my rank test huh?"

"We're all waiting," I quipped back. "See you later."

"If I survive." Despite her pessimism, Barone was smiling. Had to respect someone going to the gallows with their head held high, I guess.

Still needed to kill Ponch and Gutts though.

I kept trekking on through, dodging unidentifiable blobs of goo. "Anything, Gao?"

Just Digimon and urine," he replied, snout wrinkling.

I would have glared if I wasn't looking around. "Didn't  _need_  that last part, you." Seriously, my 'mons have a really fucked up sense of humor.

"I was hoping you would notice yourself."

We bickered for a few more minutes until he paused, sniffing at something. "Gutts grazed his ankle on a piece of glass."

I swore. "He's gonna need shots." A shot, a bed rest order, three healing puffs, and a dressing down so bad he'd be lucky to have a uniform left to wear. "Stupid, stupid… probably attracted every Digimon on the server..." I picked up my pace, barely even looking at the sound of a screaming Betamon. Gaomon punched it into the nearest wall.

"Subtle..."

"Meh, you're welcome."

Asshat.

I scanned a Kopurimon. These things were actually cute when they weren't bashing you in the face. Maybe, once we got the communication relay with the residence area opened up again, I could give one to Yuki. It was the least likely to eat the house… just hack the television. And swallow the wrench.

I sighed, kicking a chest. I winced. "Why do people leave this crap lying around?" I closed my eyes and my Soul gave a feeble flip, pulsing into the little box and opening it. At least people left something useful. One of the many stinking card keys… I kicked the box shut again and took a few minutes to scuff goop of my shoes. Places like Sunken Tunnel were why I had no good uniforms left.

"Sayo, down!"

I ducked and Gaomon leaped, landing on top of a shrieking Kotemon. I moved out of the way. The thought of punching its mask in sounded fucking awesome, but raising my fist brought a twinge of pain from fingertips to toes. Shit.

So. Maybe the giant fuck me light had more special effects than I thought. Whatever it was, my Soul still didn't want to come out and play.

I was going to pray to god that whatever Ponch and Gutts had very likely run into wasn't anything higher than an Adult. And once we survived that, I would let Gao break their legs. See them run off like that again.

There was a clatter of concrete against concrete and I whirled, faced with live blades and a really pissed off kappa. Fuck.

"Luna!"

She bolted out into view, screeching bloody murder and brandishing her claws in wild swipes The kappa struck her arm and made it bleed. I swore, forcing the Soul again. Dear lord, I needed to get over this  _soon._ It was like having the flu. I swung into its face and it shrieked, diving back into the sewer water. I wasn't even gonna wait for it to pop up again.

"Come  _on_  Luna!"

Luna scowled at me as I bolted across a rickety scrap metal bridge. "I can take 'em," she said with a huff, only joining me once the water stopped bubbling.

"Yeah but..." I paused and sighed. "Right now, Luna, clearly I ain't in the shape to risk that."

She shrugged. "You'll get it back. You're a monster, remember?"

I rolled my eyes and kept jogging forward. I was going to pretend that wasn't encouraging. I had a reputation to keep up and all.

* * *

The further I got into Sunken Tunnel, the more I regretted wearing a nicer uniform. It was going to take  _days_  to get the grime off of me, let alone off of the clothes.

I swore to drown Ponch and Gutts the second I saw them.

It was around that thought and the fifth time I cursed about it that a smell like a mad scientist cross between toxic waste and skunk fart hit me in the face. I gagged, thanked god I hadn't eaten anything recently, and dry heaved.

Gaomon groaned. "You cannot send me after whoever is making the air smell like that."

I heard the echo of a yell and grimaced, covering my nose as I ran. "I'm really not sure if I have a choice here bro."

Gaomon rolled his eyes at me and I managed to give him the finger as we approached a bridge. Gutts was standing in front of Ponch, arms outstretched and trying to glare. A large, gray blob of ugly was leaned over him and dripping who knew what?

I grimaced. "Gaomon, I swear to Yggdrasil-"

"Only we are allowed to swear to the holy one," Gaomon snipped at me, leaping (and consequently  _denting_ , god damn) the metal railing he had previously landed on, smashing a fist into Raremon face.

Ponch turned and his face lit up with relief as I made my way over. "Sayo-"

"You two," I managed over my covered mouth, tying my bandanna over the lower half of my face. "Are  _so_  lucky I like you." I gave them each a look. "And where are your Digimon?"

Gutts looked sullen as Ponch replied. "He, the Raremon, it kinda-"

"Got it." I sighed, bringing Gao back for the sake of his fur. "Come on Solar, Luna, let's kick this guy into a shower."

"Aye, tick!" Lunamon didn't even answer, she was already trying to scratch it to death. Dear Yggdrasil.

I kept one eye on Luna dodging garbage and the other went to Ponch. Gutts wasn't looking at me, so he was going to be no use. Him and his damn man pride. "So," I said, pretending like this was a conversation and not me about to rip them a new asshole. Even I followed Julia's orders when she said "stay put" and she used to have to chain me to a bed! "Could my fine young friends," I sneered that last part and Ponch at least looked guilty. Good boy. "Explain to me why there's a Raremon trying to murder them?"

Said Raremon roared and haphazardly slapped Solar in the face. Said Raremon was also then hit in the face by a gear.

Ponch shook his head. "We didn't provoke him, honest." I raised an eyebrow and he shook his head. "Seriously! We realized we had gotten too far in and we were running to the portal and maybe he just woke up on the wrong side of the drain pipe and-"

"Enough." I raised my hand. "Just stay behind me and if either of you little punks try to run, I will tie you up by your clothes and tell the chief she's gonna have to send someone after you. Clear?"

"Perfectly," Gutts muttered, slouching in his seat.

I turned my full attention back on the fight. "Solar, down! Luna, uppercut and be careful! Those things don't have necks you can snap!"

"Whose design idea was that?" She ducked another wave of sludge and slashed her claws up, knocking it back like the snap of a rubber band.

"It's already dead, tick," Solarmon reasoned as she winced from acidic sludge.

Lunamon huffed, narrowly avoiding the sewer water and taking a chestful of dead claw instead. "Can't I just kill it a second time?"

"No," Solarmon and I said together and Solar lit up, crashing into Raremon's body. The monster screamed, then groaned, but instead of melting into acid goop and ruining the exit, it just let out a groan.

"What the hell is going on?"

I gestured for my Digimon to move back. "Uh, excuse me?"

The Digimon reached out one massive 'arm' and rubbed its head. "Ow… that one hurt, what were you hitting me for?"

I crossed my arms. "You randomly attacked Beevis and Butthead behind me."

"I really shouldn't have made you watch that show," Gutts muttered under his breath.

Course he shouldn't have.

The Raremon, however, missed the low brand of humor. "I did?" It let out a moan or pain. "I've got a serious migraine right now guys… sorry about that… I'm just gonna go now..." Which he did.

Damn I wish I could do that.

I turned around. "Okay guys, time to face the music-"

"We  _get_ it." Gutts glared at me and stomped past towards the sparkling portal. I watched him go and snorted. Ponch shook his head.

"He's just a little sour. You know him and his independence issues."

I laughed. "Well, he does have a face only a mother could love. Come on. Maybe Barone's cooled the Chief's temper with her puppy eyes."

We looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Not a chance in hell.


	11. Into the Valley Dark

"So, where should I start breaking your heads?"

I sweatdropped, but made sure not to look. I was waiting for the devil horns and the whip, personally. Julia sounded  _steamed._  Instead I kept my eyes out for Newton. Dorothy had come back around two minutes after I unceremoniously shoved Gutts onto the teleportation pad. She kept looking between me and Julia, one of those careless "I  _like_  seeing people get in trouble that aren't me" grins on her face.

"Where?" Gutts repeated. He sounded somewhere between pissed and self-loathing and god, wasn't that annoying? "We don't have much left in here that's repaired."

"Good," Julia said with a sweet, venomous smile. "Then you won't be surprised if it's sharp."

Ponch elbowed him.

I winced, seeing Barone duck her head. The whole room knew this was unprofessional and on a good day, one of us could write her up if we wanted to. These weren't normal times, though, and Julia had been a mother bear from day one. Not even her cubs escaped her wrath.

Newton skidded to a halt beside me. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing yet," I muttered in his ear. "Flick Gutts with a tranq for me."

"He'll vomit."

"Well, it'll be an improvement. Least he'll stop getting his thumb up his butt."

Dorothy giggled over the pair of us as Duke loomed over them like a tottering skyscraper. "You willingly endangered your comrades," he began in the soft, genial voice he only reserved for scolding Tamers. Have you ever heard an Ultimate level speak softly? It's scary as fuck. "You disobeyed direct orders. You two  _abandoned_ " He shot Ponch and Gutts a look that could melt  _steel_. "One of your own teammates in a bout of emotional ineptitude."

They quailed, and Barone looked mildly sympathetic. I caught her eye and shook my head at her. No need to dig a deeper ditch.

Julia raised a hand and Duke stepped back. "The three of you are on standby until further notice." She paused and I winced. She was gonna say it. She was gonna say the thing. "Please relinquish all but your standard self-defense partner to the Farms. Your Digivice passwords will be temporarily altered and Soul use is restricted to CITY or emergency missions. Are we clear?"

All three of them sagged in unison. Partner restriction, Soul restriction, it was lower than being a trainee. It was the equivalent of house arrest and near execution. They couldn't earn money, couldn't use any teleport pad other than the one between here and home, and their computers were locked out for anything except homework. Worst yet, the soul connection between human and Digimon was put on freeze, meaning good luck fighting shit.

I am proud to say I have  _somehow_ never gotten that punishment. Running through CITY twelve times with a cinderblock to my back and salt on two shoulder cuts? Yeah, I'd taken that. But cabin fever was too fucking weird for me to risk that.

"Y-Yes ma'am." Barone spoke up after a minute. She looked resigned, but no more. She got the idea. "We apologize."

"Sorry!" Ponch added, shuffling his feet. Gutts looked briefly mutinous before he murmured his own apology.

Newton groaned. "I swear, the idiot and his pride."

"Don't worry," I muttered. "I got footage of him nearly shitting himself against a Raremon. We're covered on getting his bitching down to a minimum."

Newton covered his mouth to avoid snorting. "God damn it, Sayo."

"God has nothing to do with it," Dorothy chirped. I rolled my eyes, watching Julia give Ponch and the others their new orders. "They're going to have fun with repairs, huh?"

"Limited soul to finish tedious repairs?" Newton let out a snort. "Praise be god that we did our jobs."

"How did it go on your end?" I asked, deciding now would be a good time to start talking about it. Julia wouldn't interrupt until she was done or heard something important.

Newton shrugged. "It was all right until I got closer to the mansion part. The Vilemon were freaking the hell out. I was lucky I kept a GateDisk." He shook his head. "The place did look like a tornado ran through it. I heard some screaming and crying under some rubble." He flushed. "Got a Tsukaimon out of it."

"As if that place wasn't batty enough." I gestured to Dorothy, who smiled a bit and tilted her head.

"I'm pretty sure I got the easy job," she admitted. "Chip Forest was fine. There were some aggressive Digimon, but after quakes like that, that's not a shocker. The only problem..." She paused, and I reflected that if she wore that sober look on her face, I'd take her more seriously. "Could you guys call your Soul?"

"Barely," I admitted. "Hurt like a bitch when I did."

Newton grimaced. "Same here. Thought my hands were gonna fall off. Or burn from the inside out or something."

"No lasting effects?" Julia's voice interrupted us and we turned to her. The other three were watching us with worried or puzzled looks. What, did we catch a case of chicken pox?

I shook my head. "I could sleep for a month but that's it." The other two agreed. "The Digimon were pissed as hell though, but if you knocked 'em around enough, they had no clue what they were doing."

"Probably a good thing I stayed the hell out of the haunted mansion," Newton muttered.

Julia glanced at Duke, who shook his head. "You can't be drained from the repairs, but it's possible the lingering effects of that intruder simply haven't gone away. Take it easy when you go on your quests, all right?"

We saluted. Grunt work time. Ah well, I had some new cannon fodder to play with.

* * *

"All right, Dori, sniff it out."

The Dorimon gave me a look that probably meant something like:  _I don't have a nose,_  but didn't argue. Trees were hard enough to find on Login Mountain, but Paint Oil? How the hell did he get this stuff?

Ah well, it was good training for my future weapons of mass destruction.

Dori bounced forward, occasionally sniffing about. For the most part however, she seemed to be wandering into walls. I picked her up and redirected her. She bared her teeth at me (playfully of course, there's never been a baby Digimon who didn't like me, for some reason) and kept looking around. I waved for Gaomon to follow from his perch on the higher cliff. Apparently, he'd already found it. That was good, but the kid needed tracking training.

Dori let out a sudden yowl and I rolled. A Monodramon had almost clocked me in the brain. Aw hell no.

"Dori, Gao, go!" I couldn't risk using the Soul. It would hurt like a bitch, and Dori was a baby. They weren't good with Soul until they jumped a level, at least not consciously. Gao's punch was more effective than the tackle, but the kid would learn. I had to hope for that, since if I didn't it was a bad ending.

I dodged the Monodramon and my Soul crackled. "All righty," I cheered. "Hey, Monoboy. Gettin' your data right now!" I charged, fists glowing. It kicked me in the stomach. I swore in pain and Gaomon lunged, kicking it in the face. It skidded backwards.

"Dori, head on to the Paint Oil!" Dori made a yelping noise and skirted away. "Good girl," I muttered and dodged another claw. "Gao, move your ass!"

"Right, right..." He swung and clocked him in the jaw and I took a moment to grab the Monodramon by the neck. The area burst purple and I grimaced. Digimon exploding was not pretty on the eyes. Or for the skin. Ew. I wiped my face just as Dori came back with the vial of paint oil clamped in her jaws. "Atta girl." I patted her head and she crooned. I glanced at my Digivice and winced. "Mission complete."

"Can we get going?" Gaomon sighed. "The heat here is ridiculous."

"Yeah, yeah..." I kicked up a GateDisk. Have to go drop off the goods, get my five bucks, try my fucking Skype call again…

I made it back and dropped off the paint oil and bark. Dori fell asleep in my arms and I sighed. Okay, I have to go home. I was gonna sleep for a few hours, then check on the Skype. Maybe it was up. Maybe I could hear Dad and Yuki's voices.

At least the jail hadn't been fucked over. Mom leaning over me with one of her god damn chains ready to wrap around my neck.

"Sayo!"

Fuck.

I turned, returning Dori to the Digivice. Luna glowered at him from the screen. "What's up, Piemon?"

"The circus tent," he said dryly. "You've been requested by Union."

I groaned on the inside. "For what?"

"Murder, arson, investigation, the usual."

I swore. "Can I get a nap first?"

"Hell no."

I swore again, this time covering the speaker on my Digivice. "I'm on it."


	12. Not a Knife Sharpener

When I came in, I was happy to note I wouldn't have the issue of tripping and landing eye first in the remaining shrapnel. They'd fixed that much, at the very least. I glanced around for Ponch and the others, who I hadn't caught bandanna or hair of in the past few days I'd been running around. They were all hard at work, even Gutts who was rubbing his eyes. I rubbed my own eyes. This _bitch_. There were all of six agents running around on empty to help civillian humans and Digimon. None of us had the energy for a real mission right now. I almost wish I was in residental. They were sitting comfy now, I bet.

Yuki would tell me I could do it. Well, no, she'd expect me to have done it by now. What had I done to deserve her and Dad? I licked my lips. Damn I missed Dad's homemade cookies right about now.

Wait… had I seen dear old Annie this week? I didn't think I had. Shit. Everyone got mad when you didn't see her when you were supposed to. Personally, the fact that I didn't notice said enough.

I shrugged this off and went up to the platform. "What do ya want, boss?" I tried to be insubordinate and obedient. It sounded like flipping somebody off with a stick, if anyone was curious enough to imagine it. Didn't work all that great.

Julia waved a hand at me, turning back from her perusal of whatever she was looking at on the screen. "Took you long enough."

"Someone needs to make shoes," I sniped. "Couldn't this have waited until tomorrow?"

"You're not going until tomorrow," Julia replied. Her normally neat hair was down and flat down her back. We never saw her with her hair down. Dayum. "I just knew you wouldn't come check in if I didn't get you today."

I wiped sweat from my forehead. She was right but that was cold. I straightened. "So, what is it?"

Julia turned back to the monitor, magnifying an image on screen. "A new area showed up out of nowhere a few days ago." ChaosDukemon saw me open my mouth and glowered with one eye. I shut up, glaring at him. "It's name is Limit Valley, according to the locals." Julia continued like nothing had happened. Typical. "Never saw it until now. I want you to go and take a look around. Sukekiyo and Kakumi are camping at the edge tonight. You're going to meet up with them at the end tomorrow."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why, exactly?"

"We've been getting messages on our Digivices for three days," Gutts said to me with a snort.

I thought about it, then shrugged. "I ignore spam." To be honest, I didn't get emails on my Digivice all that often. I hated the notification noise.

Barone rolled her eyes behind the screen. I know she did. She usually only acted sarcastic when she thought no one was looking. "All mail is spam to you."

I shrugged again. Her point? Oh wait, that was her point. "Guess it saved my ass then."

"Just delayed the inevitable," Julia said with a nasty smile. "Get home and rest. You have somewhere to be tomorrow morning.

I flicked her off mid-salute and left. She did this on fucking purpose.

* * *

Limit Valley, to my relief, was somehow not nearly as hot as Login Mountain. I still ended up putting my hat away, leaving my goggles to bounce at my neck.

Even so…

"The hell is up with this place?" The sky seemed constantly ready to burst with rain. It didn't rain in these areas of the Digital World all that often, mostly because, well, this place did not do well with water. It was like Login Mountain, just couldn't do it, too hot in the day and I never stuck around these places at night if I could help it. So to see a permanently ominous storm only made me think that there were signs from the depths of hell or they had been owed a rainfall for years here.

Considering this place was new... go for the first one. Digital World hell must suck.

Ahead of me trotted Dori, so dangerously close to her evolution I wouldn't be surprised if she ripped a throat open and grew longer limbs right before my eyes. The tykes grew up so fast. Would bring a tear to my eye if I knew how.

The stone didn't crumble where I walked, which I wasn't sure if I liked or not. On the one hand, it proved this was a new area. On the other hand… it proved it was a new area, which was just peachy  _bad_. Contrary to popular belief, new areas did  _not_ just pop up out of nowhere. We were just really slow at discovering them. Humans, always behind on freaking everything.

"Sayo!" Dori let out a happy chirp. "Dragons!"

What was she talking abou- oh shit.

The Soul pulsed out of me without thinking and Dori let out an all-too delighted howl as she burst into data, reformatting into Dorumon and slicing into flesh and scales. She bounced from one hind paw to another. "I'm doing it, Sayo! I'm winning!"

"Keep winning!" I called back, concentrating on my Soul. It was starting to come alive again. Maybe it was a Digivice problem. Too bad my original one wasn't a Tamer Union issued piece of crap technology. I could mess with that one.

I watched from a distance, itching to run in and punch. However, I'd learned from raising my mons. Don't get involved in the first kill. They needed to do these things by themselves.

I said that, but I could feel Luna itching to jump in. She didn't even  _like_ Dorumon either.

Dorimon dodged and swung the fluff of her tail, which was bitten for her effort. Baby mistake, they always assume they're like stinkin' Reremon and have tails they can turn into steel. She squeaked and gave me a look of alarm. I nodded at her. Her eyes narrowed. Good, she wasn't that dumb. She swung one heavy foot and kicked the enemy backwards into the ground. She jumped into the air and slammed both feet into the stomach, earning a howling cough. I blinked. Well then. I maybe should have been more careful when hatching that egg.

… Nah.

Cuts, blood, etc. It was relatively quick, but not painless. Dori's claws were pretty big for a Child level, which might explain why Lunamon didn't like her that much. Hah.

Dori trotted back to me, claws red and a wide grin on her face. "Did it, Sayo!"

I was torn between laughing and rolling my eyes and ran my fingers over her head. "Yeah, nice job." I glanced her over and noted the blood at her muzzle. "Wanna keep going for a bit?"

"A bit!" she agreed, or just repeated. I couldn't really tell. I took it as agreement because I still hadn't seen hide or hair of my senior officers. They could have waited for me before going charging in pellmell. Damn. I picked up my speed, hurrying across the bridge and up another. Dori slipped off a ladder and I tried not to snort, returning her before she could break her claws. Solarmon hovered over my head and lifted me up with one gear. I swear, with Digimon like this, who needed elevators? Or ladders? I looked around and hesitated. Would this really be a good idea…? I gave up, remembering that me trying to think on low sleep was like using a computer with a broken battery. "Gaomon."

He materialized like a Renamon on speed upgrade. "Yessir?"

"Take a sniff and see if you can find anything weird up ahead. We'll be behind you."

He nodded and bolted away. Lunamon let out a little grumble. "I could have done it..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you could, Luna." I tried not to groan. "But I want you here in case something tries to hit me."

"I'll kill anyone who tries to hit you!"

Thanks for provin' my point, you little nut case. I rolled my eyes and finished crossing another bridge. This area was so quiet after that dragon got thrown three feet and died. Was that like a test like "yes you belonged here" or some shit?

Whatever, I guess.

Did those two get eaten in here? I muttered this under my breath and Solarmon let out an amused "tick" but that was all. This place was like the damn grave. Yggdrasil, grant me liveliness or something.

Gaomon hopped back to me a few minutes later, kicking up dust. "I smelled Sukekiyo's hairspray up ahead," he reported and I rolled my eyes. That vain prick. "I didn't see them though. They're hiding pretty well."

I pinched my nose. "Those bastards… there's a trap, isn't there?"

"I smelled faded angel dust," Gaomon replied and I grimaced. What was the old joke? Light Fang smelled like angel dust, Night Claw smelled like streaks of stars. So why were we the ones who smelled like fire? Stupid lame jokes…

Anyway, Light Fang had been here. Their uniforms always had the apparent stench of holy magic. Protection armor and all of that. So if they were here in this new area at some point, what the hell did that say?

The further we walked, the darker it became. It was almost like the sun was setting behind the endless field of clouds. It would be poetic if it wasn't so damn boring.

I climbed up one last ladder. There, at the other side of the area, was the floating giant Christmas light.

Why was I not surprised?

"Hello there, Tamer of a dying Union," Was that a purr? Was a giant fuck-me-light purring? Ewwwww… "It's time for you to receive your new orders."

Orders? Do I look like a bitch who followed orders to you? I raised my fists and glared.

It almost sighed. "No? Well then, let's get this over with, shall we?"

Bastard sounded disappointed.

A giant dog leaped for my head, only to be hit in the face by one of Lunamon's claws. A Siesamon? I ducked and dodged. The dog kept leaping for me. Its paws were as big as I was. "Is this how you killed the rest of them?" I shouted as Solarmon moved between us. A laser burst from her face and the dog shrieked, still running forward in mad tumbles. Shit. I rolled and he hit a mountainside. Luna burst out with a scream of rage and she swung, slashing claw after claw towards its face. it threw her back and Gaomon went to help.

"Solar, distract!"

I heard the Christmas light chuckle. Jerk. The blast of light energy and the flying fear sent the beast scurrying towards me. I rolled but a claw grazed my back. I coughed. Shit.

Stupid Adult levels.

Lunamon yelled at the smell of my blood and started ramming him with her pathetic fists.

"Luna," I shouted, seeing it ducking its head, prepared to throw her up to eat like a rat. "Move!"

Luna ignored me, body starting to glow.

Shit. Not only was I going to have a psycho bunny, I was going to have an even  _stronger_  psycho bunny.

I turned at the sound of laughter. The Christmas tree was laughing. Oh damn it.


	13. Little Bit of Free Time

My Digivice blurted out the name  _Lekismon_  before my partner stopped slamming Siesamon's head into a wall and the poor bastard exploded. I had never questioned Luna's utter devotion to killing things and keeping me alive, but spontaneous evolution was a wall I just figured she couldn't cross. Spontaneous evolution was rare for a partner, and rarely good either way. The evolution tended to wipe out the sanity in the head, leave completely insane.

So, yeah. You see why I decided to back away slowly. Solar was in front of me in seconds, face glowing. Gao watched the Christmas light because I'd be concerned if it didn't do something. Lekismon -Luna, my Luna- landed on the ground and regarded us, the blood slicking the gloves on her hands. She didn't even have paws anymore. But she had water, that was probably  _freezing_ , and she was now officially taller than me, not that that took much. So I was gonna have to duck. A lot.

She stared at me, then looked towards the fuck-me-light. "Do I go after him next, Sayo? I want to break his ugly face."

I stared and, I'll admit this only now, managed a dumbstruck nod. Lekismon whirled at my words, facing the purple light with almost hand-rubbing levels of evil glee. The light, however, was not intimidated. Course not. It had barely freaked out with a lance through the face. I think I just get the screwed up missions, I really do.

"I admire your prowess." Wasn't that something people said about sex? Ew. "Siesamon was no match for you."

"He was no match for me," Lekismon grumbled. Gao rolled his eyes at her.

A buzzing filled my ears and I whirled. SandYanmamon, three of them zipping around, swarming towards me. Solar blasted one in the face and another buzz of wings spun through the air. Stingmon flew back, Sukekiyo on his shoulder with his purple locks flapping in the rush of wind. "Hey, Sayo, these freaks slowing you down? Kakumi and I will take care of them. Be grateful!" Kakumi leaped from Stingmon's other shoulder, Garurumon landing paws first on one bug. They'd be fine. I hated their asses for deciding to let me spring the crap, but they weren't close to Silver Tamer level for nothing.

I shot them an obscene hand gesture and turned on the fuck-me-light. Damn it was still laughing.

"Well then," it said and it faded, morphing into a dragon. Really? Was it doing this just to tease me? Probably. It waved its scythe hand towards my head. I ducked, Solar intervened. The nasty clang was my only warning before the blast of a laser.

"Freaking-" Before he could fire again, Luna punched him in the face. Hard. Well, as hard as she could. It swung his face back and Luna flipped back in front of me. I heard the buzzing of insect wings and ignored it, focusing on the dragon. I ducked and rolled, letting Gao hit the blade away. At the smell of blood, I covered my nose. Digimon bleeding was not my favorite smell in the world, especially not mine.

I know, I know the myth. "Digimon don't bleed". We're on their turf. We play on their rules.  _Get over it._

"Gao, you weren't supposed to block that with your foot," I shouted at him, rolling behind a rock. He hopped to the side, wincing in pain.

What were you expecting me to do, avoid it? I like your head in one piece!" He cursed in pain (I knew I was a bad influence on him) and hopped to a fighting stance. He was damaged. Couldn't have him fight much longer.

I hated strategies that relied on one Digimon. They were just ineffective if you went on long enough. Still, I didn't have much of a choice.

"Luna, take point on attack! Solar, Gao, disable that bastard. I don't care how!" I leaned over my rock, clutching at my Digivice. No Data, it said in big, ugly letters. Well. That was just beautiful.

Solar soared over my head, yelping at the blast to her face. She dropped and floated again, low to the ground. Her spare gears spun in weary circles. Then her eyes narrowed and she picked me up with one. I cannot be that small. Damn.

It spun and I would have glared if I didn't want to puke. Stupid motion sickness. I watched the fight, knuckles white. I saw what Solarmon wanted me to do, but shit the idea of getting there sounded horrible.

But damn, did I want to punch that guy in the face.

Gao ducked and swiped and Luna blocked the scythe again. Gao aimed his fist for the laser and it went flying wide, nearly hitting me. It singed the right side of my face and I swore. It cackled.

Luna, however, did not.  _"Tear Arrow!"_  Water formed into arrows around her… what the heck are those, tendrils or something? As long as they weren't tentacles, whatever, I guess. They struck and I had to wonder if ice or water was like: a good idea. He had a laser. They could evaporate.

What couldn't evaporate was her punching the everloving crap out of him. Which she did. A lot.

Of course, not before he hit me.

I screamed and swore. Nothing had hurt me that bad since mom and the dry ice. Damn… I didn't even notice I was falling until I hit the ground and got hit right in the back. Ow… ow, ow… I spat and I'm so glad it wasn't red. Rolling over, I heard the creature laugh.

"You're not strong," it mocked. "You're stubborn."

"Same thing," I coughed, wheezing for air. Luna kicked and ended up thrown back. Gao lunged and sank teeth into armor. He went flying but burst into Gaogamon, larger wilder. He struck the chest, arms, tail. Solar was slow, too slow. She could keep up. I didn't call her back. No way I could. The tail lashed. Slam. Slam. And she didn't move. Kept covering me, so I could get up and raise my Digivice in a weak, bloody hand.

" _If you can't fight, then what good are you to them, Sayo?"_

Ignore it. Throw her out. Not important. Push out the Soul. Draw it out, draw it… The purple light covered me. It pushed ncad pushed until the scythe went flying towards my head. I ducked. Luna kicked it. It slithered back, fangs dripping with saliva.

"I see," it said with a croon. "I suppose we'll have to do better with you. Your blood…. It has an interesting smell."

That is fucking creepy.

"Take your creepy fucking senses and burn them alive," I panted out. "I'm sure there's a load of gasoline I can shove down your throat..."

"How droll."

He vanished. I swore.

"Well, you drove him back at least," Kakumi offered when she made her way over. She helped me off, grimacing at the burn on the side of my chest. "That's going to need a check."

"Don't remind me," I muttered. Luna and Gao shrank and went back into the Digivice. I glanced at Solar, who was trying to stay in the air. "Get back here, silly gear. There's a portal right there. And these two are, like it or not, covering me. I'll be good."

Solar stared for a couple minutes more. She wanted to yell at me. I know she did. But she went back and thank god. My Soul could not have supported that any longer.

* * *

"You really smelled holy dust."

"Oh for god's sake, Gao and I have better noses than Duke and you know it!"

Julia's lips twitched and I shoved my hands in my pockets. I knew she was doing this to piss me off. She always did it like this. "That doesn't mean you were thinking straight when you smelled it."

"It was talking about new orders and a dying Union. If that don' mean something's up on that side of the bridge, then what does?" I didn't shout. The burn had been healed but my lungs were yelling at me for the hit to the ribs.

Sukekiyo raised an eyebrow at me. "It could mean the Light Fang are being brainwashed." Then he frowned. "But don't they have training against that?"

"We still can't be sure ours aren't in trouble," Kakumi countered, rolling her eyes at her partner. "Even if they did, the normal rank doesn't have advanced techniques. Most Normals can't take down a Siesamon." She glanced at me and I shrugged.

"Luna is the Hulk. What can I say?" She was sleeping like the dead or she would have preened in there. I know her.

"At any rate," Duke interrupted. We all glowered at him and he snorted. "We have nothing solid aside from his desires and ideas. That doesn't mean the Light Fang have anything real to do with it at this point."

"Or at least they have nothing direct to do with it," Julia added. "We can't crush them until we know who to get rid of."

I grimaced. So close to knocking Koh out of the valley.

"Dismissed," Julia told us.

We left. I went back to my house. I could get my reward tomorrow. I was beat.

When I got to my room however, I was covered in bubbles.

"What the heck is this?" I tried to sound angry, but it didn't work. Only a certain creature could make these bubbles. Baby Digimon.

"Phascomon!" I called. He came waddling in, munching on something or other. As long as it wasn't pudding again, I could care less. "Why are the kids here?"

At the sound of my voice, they all popped up from where they lay on my bed. It was going to be a mess when they got off, but eh. They were babies. "Mama!" they all squealed.

Next thing I knew, I was covered in little Digimon.

And, I'll be honest. I'm okay with that.


	14. Accursed Transportation Systems

If there was anything I hated more than teleportation pads, it was choppy water. I barely liked the beach on warm sunny days. Stormy, swampy… I hated to sound like Barone but _ick_.

Of course, when I woke up after three weeks of little missions, I had a mission telling me that was  _exactly what I was supposed to dive into_  waiting for me. Luna was excited. Gao and Solar were both less enthused. There were plenty of people who hated water more than me, and these two counted in those numbers. I was tempted not to bring them but my other tough Digimon were dragons and couldn't evolve much yet.

Hopefully I'd end up somewhere where I could expand my scan data. I mean, seriously, dragons are  _everywhere._  It was almost nauseating at times.

I went through stretches as quickly as possible. I was going to need a lot of anti-nausea pills and I didn't want to risk the market in a few hours. Damn it, if mom was so positive about how special we were, then why did I get teleportation sickness? Or just motion sickness in general? Couldn't I be rid of that?

"Doru, be careful with Guile, he'll probably beat the crap out of you," I warned from by the exit. A Guilmon versus a Dorumon, it'd be interesting if it wasn't so damn terrifying. Both of them were destructive and both of them were deciding to do this  _on my floor._

"Kay!" She sounded utterly unconcerned about that.

That was not reassuring at all.

I left anyway. Might as well just get it all over with.

When I got back, they were both racing through the sand. Guile's eyes watered with tears and he was fully intent of dropkicking Doru into the ocean. I ran my hand down my face. "Alec?"

"Doru beat him," reported the Veemon from where he sat on a fence post. "Through brute force apparently. Took offense to yer comment."

I sighed as quietly as I could. I did not have time to reteach them ethics. "Guile, stop."

The red dragon looked up at me, eyes still wet. "She bit my tail!"

I smiled a little and went over to them. "It was a fight," I pointed out, kneeling down between them. "We know that sometimes, we play dirty to win a fight. If you could catch Doru's tail, would you?"

Guile stopped and I watched the gears turn in his young head. He managed a tiny nod after a few minutes and I did laugh, despite my efforts. His face was almost cute, what can I say? Okay, no, it was cute. "I guess," he finally mumbled, looking put out.

"Thought so." I motioned to the Veemon. "Alec, keep an eye on these kiddos, okay?" He saluted and I returned the rest to my Digivice. He'd better keep an eye on them or he was losing his strawberries for the next month. "I'll be back. Doru, Guile, no killing each other! Phascomon will put you in his pudding!"

They made noises of dissent that I barely heard, garbled over the sound of the transport. I caught myself mid-stumble and rubbed my eyes.

I could do this. It was just one trip to Loop Swamp. I had my GateDisks just in case. I wasn't going to end up a horror story drowned in the muck or something.

* * *

Three hours later, I wasn't a horror story drowned in the muck. I was just covered in muck, which was a horror story in and of itself.

Luna looked just as disgusted, her enthusiasm long gone. "The hell is wrong with this place?" she muttered, helping me swallow a painkiller.

"You're the ones who live in this world, you tell me."

"My kind usually stay in the mines," Luna reminded me. "Where water is  _tolerable_ , and not this mess of endless-" She shuddered.  _"Goop."_

Solar smacked away an enemy with her hammer. Her evolution to Adult wasn't really  _helping_ , considering there wasn't enough sand to shake a stick at, but it was a good thing I could manage the Soul to do it. My Digivice was still on the fritz from that stupid Christmas light. I was just gonna count my blessings that the thing turned on. "I stay on tropical islands, where goop is a" _-smack, splat-_  "fairy tale! You have a sick sense of humor, mistress."

"Ain't my sense of humor," I grumbled. "It's Union's." I took another squelching step and swore. Note to self, order a new uniform. Again. At least this time I had a damn good reason. I hated this swamp. Just the name has always made me almost puke up my breakfast. Being here was, well, it was a good thing to have the right pills.

I waded to the side, looking for another whirlpool. Gao was inside my Digivice, staring at things like he could punch them through the screen. I knew because the screen buzzed by my hands whenever they touched it. Not like he'd come out unless I was dying, but it was good to know he was looking out for me.

A chest shined near my foot and I opened it, sparing a second to look at the sky. It was hard to tell day or night here. My Digivice said I had been here for three hours. Taking another couple of steps, I heard another squelch and called Luna back. She swore at me. I didn't care. We'd been here too darn long.

I sat down on a dry tree root, pulling off my worn out hat and brushing off any grime. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and regretted it. Swamp air, almost as bad as cigarette smoke. I rubbed my eyes and sighed. I wish I didn't have good senses, not for the first time. One of these days, it was going to get me killed. Well, after three hundred tries and something stabbing me into the ground multiple times. I apparently don't know how to die, according to Julia. Well, at least it's useful.

I looked at my Digivice, willing the mission parameters to come online. I read them aloud, cutting through the hum of the swamp, then switched to the carefully made map. The place was rumored for its noise, the noise of bubbling, viscous water and the swaying of trees. So much buzzing from the insects that fly overhead.

Seriously, this was the perfect place for suspicious activity. No one batted a damn eye. Then again, wasn't that for the best? If no one looked for suspicious people in general, no one would look for me either. Or at least think of me as much of a threat. Not that I looked like one anyway. According to my friends I still looked eleven. Traitors, the lot of them.

I sighed and stood up. I wouldn't get any further here. I would just have to go and look things over for myself. I recalled Luna, who had been standing on an overhead branch. Someone was going to have to tell her that rabbits usually didn't work that way, as far as I knew (hey, I've never been to an actual school, I could be wrong!), but whoever that was would probably get a foot up their ass so it wasn't going to be me.

I took a deep breath and jumped into the whirlpool.

The now familiar but still nauseating sensation of spinning filled me, water swamping past my hair and… huh, that was a pun wasn't it? God I needed to get out of here. I was in trouble if I was thinking up puns.

I felt the bubbling of the inevitable bounce up to shore and kept my eyes shut. When I felt the wetness seep into my shirt, I opened my eyes. First glance, nothing special. Second glance… I looked past the trees to see a pacing skeleton. Well, it wasn't a human skeleton. It was a dinosaur skeleton.

"Hey, Gao," I whispered before I could stop myself. "You wanna play fetch?"

He glared at me. "Just let me out, sir."

I shook my head. Honestly after flying through whirlpools and fighting off gunk and shit, I didn't feel like fighting. Maybe i'd caught a cold or something. Shit, I hated being sick. Well, there was probably a gate behind him. If I could just get the hell out of here, that would work fine.

I took a deep breath, then exhaled. I did it twice more, then then popped a painkiller. If I was getting sick, I needed to watch out for a headache.

Then I walked into view.

The Digimon saw me immediately, tiny and purple, well, mostly purple. Fucking goop. His eyes narrowed. "Oh, it's the client."

If I hadn't had a prickle running down my neck at that exact moment, I swear I would have said something more stupid than usual. As it was, I thumbed my Digivice wheel and nodded, lifting it for him to see." He was waiting for a human. I was wearing a mud streaked union uniform. What the fuck did that say?

The dinosaur let out a little snort, cutting off my thoughts. "You're late."

Well, wasn't  _that_  the story of my life? "Whirlpools," I replied.

He waved a claw. "Why do you think we met here? Anybody anywhere see us? Anyway, here's the program you asked for."

I wanted to swear aloud, seeing the shine of my Digivice. Stupid reflexive item receiving piece of crap. I swear, I could get spam as a birthday present and it wouldn't notice it. "Thanks," I said, glancing over the program, making sure to sound like I knew what he was talking about. It was probably something to do with hacking. Union had hackers, did it to get information on the worlds below. It was better than actually getting info from them, supposedly.

"You should be able to crack deeper into CITY's systems with the virus there."

I nodded, feeling a tick in my jaw. Well… shit. That gave me a lot of information. Someone in Union was trying to hack the system.

_Someone in Union was trying to break CITY._

Oh fuck no, that was never gonna happen. Not while my dad lives here, not while Yuki lives here. Like, hell.

SkullBaluchimon blinked red eyes at me. "Kid, you gonna pay up?"

I could have said it politely, but after that little bombshell, I just wasn't in the mood. "Suck on it, asshole."

His response? Throw me off the platform.

Boy was I glad I was training a lot of dragons. Stupid dinosaurs.


	15. Partners in No Crime

"You  _bitch_!"

Well, it wasn't the first time I had heard that. Still sucked to have to deal with it while in midair against a skeleton dinosaur.

Luna caught me, Solar crashing her hammer into SkullBaluchimon's head. "Hey, asshat," she snapped. Ooh crap, she was mad. I didn't see Solar mad often but when I did, hoo goddess help us all. "Keep your bones where they belong."

"In Cerberumon bellies!" Luna finished and I rolled my eyes. Twits, the pair of them.

"Focus on the fight!" I made to curl into a ball as Solar caught me under one drooping arm, letting Luna focus on her next burst of water. She blocked his next lunge with a swing of her hammer and grimaced as much as she could with a sewn mouth. "Friendly, ain't he?"

I smacked her arm before I moved away. "Just kick his ass."

"Got it, tick."

My eye twitched. I swear, she did that just to annoy me. My Digivice flashed and I rolled, dodging another slam from the bones.

"Are you trying to make a fool of me?" he roared and black shadows shot from his mouth. Seriously? "Me, SkullBaluchimon? Member of the Kowloon Company, the true Merchants of Death?"

"That's a mouthful," I muttered before I could stop myself. His next swing sent me rolling to the ground, hat ripped and blood running down my left cheek. I coughed, spitting mud. I swear the reward for today had better not suck. Luna shot an arrow of ice and it stabbed right into the eye. He screeched and threw her aside. God damn it, he was tough. Normally the eye screams made them at least pause. We'd barely been fighting for two minutes, what the shit. I lifted myself by an arm, watching the Digivice beep its usual routines of heal, bitch, heal. God it went slower than I did. I picked myself up and rolled to avoid another strike.

Solar jumped between us and grit her teeth. "Any ideas, tick?"

"Pray I can pull out enough soul for a Perfect?"

Solar snorted at that one. "Yeah, tick. You've got wells of it and a faulty device. Good luck not making it explode, tick."

Well, when she put it that way…

"Challenge accepted. Keep chew toy busy." I made to get some distance between me and death on pissed off.

She gave me a look of utter disbelief. Just for that,  _she_ was getting the wild and crazy power boost. She needed to have some faith in my ability to pull miracles out of my ass. Luna had it and she hated that I could do it, even though I've only ever managed to do it twice. I ducked and rolled, watching the splash of murk by my feet and blocking it from entering my eyes. I seriously needed new goggles. But… sadly I couldn't get them. These were a gift, apparently.

There are a lot of things I am a terrible person with. Gifts have never been one of them.

I slung the goggles over my eyes and backflipped, dodging another swipe. I left one hand curled around my Digivice. I needed a wrist holster, this was really fucking inconvenient.

Meanwhile, SkullBaluchimon was clawing and swiping his wings at my Digimon, roaring his rage. "You give me this virus, and tell me to do something with it, and now you won't pay up! What happened to fair business, you shitty brat?"

"Fucking hell," I muttered. "Do I look like I have money to you?"

He must have heard me. How? "To dye your hair like that, obviously!"

Dye my hair. The hell was this guy smoking? "These locks are natural, asshole!" I snapped from behind a tree. "Beautifully natural! Quit trying to distract me!" The warm crackling of the Digisoul cleared my head, growing up and up like a purple fire.

"Bitch, don' lie to me!" he snapped and opened his jaws. "You smell the same as before, like meteor shards and rusty swords!"

I stiffened mid-jump, and the resulting shock threw me to roll into the mud and muck. For the first time, I didn't care. Adrenaline ran up my spine and rammed against the block between me and my DigiSoul going places.

Like a glass hitting the floor, it burst and the pieces went everywhere.

All I had ever had going for me was a very large well of DigiSoul, abnormally high if not for my body structure, and an inability to stop getting up when I was hit. Despite that, the sheer amount of energy that was rolling out of my skin almost made me want to pass out. This was why I didn't like spontaneous evolution, especially when I caused it.

Fortunately, Luna and Solar were far enough away that the rush of energy missed them. They darted between SkullBaluchmon and my body paralyzed by the broken dam, keeping his attacks as far away from me as possible.

Gao however, was too close. He burst from the Digivice in a shower of blue light, body growing and shifting so fast it should have honestly hurt. SkullBaluchimon noticed, and lunged for him, only to meet a metallic fist to the face.

"Niicee," Luna said dryly. "Could have done that earlier, fuzz for brains."

"Apparently not." Gao looked down at me and reached to pick me up. My instincts threatened to let me lash out, to try and escape the giant hand that could easily squish me like a Wormmon. Only the bursting desire in the back of my head prevented me from doing that and fuck I wanted to run, vault, jump, break this skeleton for answers.

"You… you still there Gao?" I finally eked out.

He stared at me, large amber eyes pondering something I probably would never know. "Yes, sir, faculties are all clear."

I managed a smile. "Good. One thing going right."

Luna went skidding beside us, gauntlets drenched and ruined, blood trailing down from her ears and antenna. "Sayo, I know you like checking our sanity but we need to trash this guy!" She gathered water from the ground. "I don't think I can kill him."

"I doubt any of us can kill him without causing an incident, tick," Solar plopped beside us, hood almost completely ruined and hammer threatening to snap in two.

I pulled my brain away from the SkullBaluchimon's earlier comment (because it couldn't be true, it was just a mistaken scent.) and narrowed my eyes. I hate thinking, have I mentioned that? Regardless, that was one rampaging mon and I needed to make him stop. Just one good blow would do it, I bet. Just to surprise him enough to make him stop trying to kill us and hear us out. Cause I wasn't giving him goods I didn't have. The problem was I didn't know how to attack and cause that.

Wait. Okay, no, wait that idea was stupid and reckless and… probably our only shot right now, god  _damn it._

Luna was right. There was a lot wrong with my head.

"Gao?" He peered down at me. "I need you to punch me at open-bag-of-dog-treats over there."

He spared a second to snort and then looked back at me. "Wait, you're serious."

"As a broken arm."

He stared at me, all three of them did. Then Gao sighed. "Fine. Sir, anyone tell you you're insane?"

"Luna. And you. And all the others. Often." Even though they said that, they still went along with anything I said. Go figure. I heard Luna groan and glanced at her. "You two cover me. Imma punch him right between the forehead and then you two are gonna make him regret life. somehow"

"Why do we love her again, tick?" Solar asked Luna, who only rolled her eyes. I dunno, I thought it was a good question.

I tuned them out after, drawing on the well of power still trying to burn me from the inside out. Use it, don't let it use you. Funny how that never worked with me and anger. The DigiSoul floated up and out again, wrapping around me like a snuggie blanket, even to the tips of my hat. I doubted this would be enough reinforcement for punching a Digimon right in the bones, or being thrown with the strength behind a Perfect-level's punch, but…

But I was really fucking sick of this swamp.

Luna's ice arrows covered SkullBaluchimon's vision. MachGaogamon lifted me up, his jetpack clearly wanting to send us through the atmosphere. Then he righted himself with me on the top of his palm. (Looking back this was seriously a vulnerable position, I was never doing this again.) He pulled his arm back and threw me up a little. No seasickness right? Please? His fist slammed into my feet and propelled me forward. I also heard the distinct shredding of my shoes but I couldn't care. The pressure made me force my fist up and my body forward. I flipped and avoided the great jaws, slamming my fist home. The DigiSoul pulsed through it and he howled like I had actually broken something. The recoil threw me backwards, and Solar caught me as Gao's free fist punched the SkullBaluchimon square in the jaw. It skidded back and collapsed, dizzy and unable to move.

Fucking finally.

"You," it said after a while, "are one crazy little human."

I managed a snort. Still had no idea where that plan, crappy as it was, came from. "Yeah, apparently." I lifted my head. "Are you sure you saw me? Cause I ain't seen you before ever."

"I have poor eyes, but that was the uniform..." SkullBaluchimon sat up, trailing off. "You're a Union Tamer, aren't you?"

I grimaced. Shit. "Yeah."

"That explains the meteor smell," he said, heaving himself to his feet. "Yeah, did look like you, bit smaller though, lighter colors, watery eyes… oh, and white hair. Went looking for this."

I didn't even feel my Digivice buzz. I was too busy wanting to cry.

_Yuki._

* * *

It was a testament to how important this program was to me that I didn't just drop it off and leave. I needed answers. I needed them now. Yuki's name did a mocking tap dance in my brain, unable to stop, unable to flee. There weren't many albinos with access to a Union uniform that still lived in CITY's walls, I leaned over the scientist, even if I couldn't understand what was on the screen. I had the basic idea. The virus had gone straight through CITY's security, which had had so many changes and upgrades, no wonder it could have, going for the archived server files and hitting the foundation of the server. That was how I had interpreted it anyway, from how Newton was talking to the actual people working on it.

"At this point, they're working on making a viable vaccine," I heard him comment to Julia, rattling off the explanation that went over my head first off because I hadn't had anything remotely like a formal education, and second off because I  _just didn't care_.

" _Aren't you supposed to be doing something with your time? Something important?"_

Shut up, you old hag, shut up. I didn't have any control over this, I didn't. How could I?

"Well, on the upside," the scientist began, prodding me with a pen to step back. "We've managed to create a vaccine. We should be able to restore some of our connections before it starts spreading again. And the security there will prevent it from advancing on that route. On the downside, the virus is fast at adapting to it, so we won't get much further."

"Will the connection with the residential district be restored as well?" Julia's voice was mild, as ever, but I knew she was anxious, angry. This part was her responsibility. She hated not being able to keep it close.

"Within the next few minutes," the man replied.

I looked up at Julia with the best pleading look I could muster. If it went back up, I could call Dad. He would know. The fear tried for my bones and I vibrated with the urge to run.  _Please don't make me verbal report, please don't make me formal verbal report..._

Julia let out a low exhale. "Just this once."

I bolted before she could take it back. As I left, I heard Julia order for a look at the updated Tamer roster. I prayed and prayed. Don't be on there, sis, please, oh please.

_If Yuki's gone, it's a breach in Union protocol. If Yuki's gone, and is on the list, it's a breach of security and protocol, her test isn't for another few months, oh please let this be a mistake. Let this be a joke or a lie, don't you take my Yuki from me..._

I ran past delighted Tamers, I almost lost my hat and dropped my Digivice and wasn't even nauseous on the teleportation pads. No, no, please no.

_If the Light Fang have you, and they are causing this, all of them are burning in hell, just you wait and see. No one takes you away._

Wearing a Union uniform, asking for programs to break the archives, communications down? Too many coincidences. It smelled like Sunken Tunnel, even. But whether it was true or not was irrelevant. If they were traitors or evil or whatever, they were all dead. Julia was brutal like that.

They'd just better not have her.

My computer whirred on slowly. I tapped my foot against the bed, trembling, feeling like a nearly fallen leaf. Two little bubble blobs squirmed to sit in my lap. I patted one with absent fingers. I couldn't focus, couldn't breathe.

The messenger app opened automatically. How many calls had I missed? I opened one. All of them… with dad's email. All of them…

At that moment, I wasn't sure what was worse about this whole thing: the possible disappearance of my sister, or the frantic fear of my gentle father.

Damn it, I wasn't supposed to scare him anymore.

"Dad?" I said, once the call connected. His face, slightly unshaven from lack of time, dark curls a mess, peered up at me. His shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of me. "Dad are you okay?"

"I'm glad you are."

Damn it, Dad, don't change the subject like that. "Are you okay," I repeated, and Roni, the second little Pabu, began his slow way up to my head. I didn't stop him, even though I usually would.

My father sighed and shook his head. "I haven't heard from Yuki. I was hoping I could get in contact with you sooner, lass. Was her induction into the program sped up by any chance?"

My heart almost thudded to a complete halt. "No," I said, a little too fast. "I mean, it shouldn'ta been. I couldn't even get in until I passed the test remember? No one can. Did someone come here and say so or somethin'?"

"They went to her school," he said, shaking his head. "All we received from here was a letter in the mail. Union program disk, like yours was."

I didn't like to think of that. Double scouting was how it always started. "Was it either group?"

"It was a Light Fang introduction video actually." He sighed. "iIve been trying to get in contact with them for days. No answer but the automaton."

They weren't supposed to go to the schools. They were supposed to talk to the families, give them the option. Not bully their way and take them directly from the teachers and normal life. It prevented the immediate bullying response, apparently. No, no, no…

The coincidences were piling up.

My email clicked open at that instant. There, right on screenshot, was a picture of my sister, with the Light Fang designation stamped at the top of her file.

_No._

My sister was at the center of a DigitalCITY plot. My sister was my enemy.

" _Are you going to keep failing her, Sayo?"_

I don't remember what happened after that.


	16. Unlucky Rain of Cats

I searched.

("The Light Fang have broken protocol. We're sending alerts to the worlds below, warning to keep away until we have answers. Tsukino Yuki's Soul signature is reported as 'bonded'. There's no turning back for her, Sayo.")

Every free moment, every completed Quest, I searched.

("She won't be in Sunshine, Sayo. We'd have a record of her Soul in the teleportation logs. If she's gone in and out, we'd know.")

They could be hacking the system. If they're breaking protocol, that wouldn't be hard to do. Even if she was in CITY, I couldn't get to Sunshine. She would have to be outside of it.

I searched.

I've never seen my Digimon look so tough before. The fighters all took to the work, every single one. Doru and Guile, my big babies, under Alec's supervision, swung out and fought and made the whole training area I had made cracked and wrecked to the point that I had to remake it at least six times in two weeks. If I had had room for many other emotions at the moment, one of them would have been pride. Since I couldn't feel much other than anger and love at that point, I made sure to give them all of the love I had in me, and all of my anger to any enemy in sight. As a result, I was drained.

The Pabu Brothers certainly appreciated it. Evolved to fluffers instead of Pabus and never left my lap when they could get away with it.

(Yeah, I know, they're actually called  _Babumon_ , but Pabu is cuter, okay? And for all I'm a bitch, I am a sucker for cute, not gonna lie.)

Luna kept looking at me all funny the whole time, funny in that 'I like your carnage but damn you're gonna get killed' kinda way. Well, at least it was better than Gao's henning. Which he was doing while I walked.

"For Goddess' sake, sir, you need to sleep."

I glared half-heartedly at him. He was right, I did need to sleep. Still. "I need to drop off the client's item and get my reward first," I said. To be honest, I wanted to try ramming my way into Highlight Haven again. I swear, just because I have an affinity that makes no fucking sense, doesn't mean that I don't want to go see some Holy Dragon nutcases and fight until my arms don't work. Just how I roll. That would be where Yuki where gravitate to the most, no matter what was fucked up with her. My sister loved the light, loved the sun. It hid the shadows from view. It hid our shadows.

But still. Damn firewalls.

I sighed, offering the box of Digideli Cake to the Kotemon, who thanked me eagerly. Sunflowmon could be some nice fellas. They'd made me take a couple cakes with me. I say a couple, because I accidentally mentioned the likelihood of Roni (my younger Pabu) going to town and inhaling one with the skill of a vacuum cleaner and that wouldn't be fair.

So my Digivice now had cake in it. The kids would love it.

I collected my reward and cracked my left shoulder. It was still a little sore from SkullBaluchimon throwing me around like Gao grabbing a Terriermon for kicks. I swear it scarred Roni for life. With another step, my leg twinged. Thank god I was a fast healer, but this still  _sucked._

I just had to keep it up for a while longer though. Then, once I got Yuki home, I'd take a vacation with her and dad, help us unwind, give my kids a chance to play at a real beach that wasn't covered in satellite dishes and hydro-powered technology. _I_  could relax, give my muscles a chance to unclench. But first things first, home for a hot shower and sleep.

Unfortunately, this train of thought was derailed at the sight of a lot of my fellow tamers huddled by the market plaza. From what I could smell, there was someone singed, recently healed bruises, and scabs. Somebody had gotten into a hell of a fight.

"Do we need a makeshift stretcher over here?" I called as I approached. Granted, I had been out of the loop for a week or so. Not allowed to chase down Light Fang leads, because who knew what I would do to them? Nothing permanent, I promise. That would be suspicious.

Dorothy waved at me through bandages and a black eye. "The Light Fang have finally lost their marbles!" she chirped at me, which you know, told me shit all.

"Informative as ever, thanks. We all don't have any marbles." I examined her wounds. "Did they get you?"

" _Get_  her?" Newton winced as he let out a snort, bleeding from his cheek again. I saw the cracks in his lenses. That was gonna be expensive to replace. His prescription was awful. " _Ganged up on her_  is what they did. We barely threw them into the poison flowers."

"Resistor Jungle sucks," Dorothy said, nodding her head for emphasis. "The monsters are  _always_  there, blood sucking and wild."

I winced and gave her a small pat on the shoulder, much as it pained me. She snuggled against my arm… which was again, why it pained me. I was still sore as fuck. But her and Resistor Jungle had bad blood. "The Light Fang… use numbers in a forest? They get mad at us when we do that shit."

"Language," Sukekiyo said dryly in my ear. I glared at him half-heartedly. He was one to talk; we all had heard him after he had got a spot of bourbon. He smirked at me and stood back, rubbing the burns over the bandages. "But anyway, yes, they were attacking in clumps over there. It was clumsier than it should have been. The Wild Ones wouldn't touch them either, avoided them like they were diseased."

I raised an eyebrow. Well, that was special. Only disease the Digital World tended to see was the X-Virus, and that hadn't been around since... well, ever. It was basically a fucking threat to keep the kids up at night.

"You'll be sent in tomorrow, I think," Dorothy added, now playing with my hair. "Ponch and the others went this morning. They still aren't back."

I winced. They had trained their asses off since Sunken Tunnel. I would know, I had to be Barone's sparring partner every day this week. If they still weren't back yet… Well, hopefully they wouldn't die. If they weren't back when I got briefed, I could add them to the list of things I was kicking Light Fang ass for, couldn't I?

But that meant getting some sleep. Damn it.

* * *

 _Watch the needle, watch it pierce your skin. Spreading, the illness is_ spreading _… does the knife hurt? You can't move can you? You're trapped in this room and no one can hear you scream._

_Will someone come, or will this be like the last time, do you think? You called for help but nobody came. You're going to be left here alone, and you can't fight back, no matter what they do to you. Someone will hate you if you do. Someone important._

_So cry little one. Cry and forget. These people are going to cut you open and make you heal. Look at the stitches that aren't going away._

_That's a good little tool. Carve a path for your users. You can't turn on them. You never can._

_They will always have you._

_I will always have you._

I flooded the bile of the bad dreams into my toilet bowl and screamed into my arms when I managed air. Metal flashed behind my eyes and the pain of the needle was nothing because I felt  _her_  fist lodge itself into my chest and hitting through it and then-

 _Yuki's blood, sweet red. You failed her, you failed her all over again. Look, her entrails are_ everywhere _, what are you going to do?_

"Not again," I croak. "Not again."

I don't want to remember anything. I don't want to remember, I don't want to think, I don't want to-

I just want Yuki. I just want to go home to daddy.

But I can't.

Luna is in front of the door. My kids are crowding the way. But the door is enough of a wall. I can't reach them. I can't touch them. I don't deserve to.

So I just cry by myself until the break the door open and come close to me, whether I want them or not.

Eventually, I went back to bed.

* * *

When I got to the office the next morning, it was after banishing my Pabus to the FARM. I hated doing it to the babies like that, without a goodbye. But last night had been bad. I could still feel myself shaking. When I shook, I could get awful. I almost considered refusing Julia when she called me up. My knees trembled, my shoulder was sharper than ever. I could feel tears trying to push. I didn't want to do this, not today, though I couldn't say why exactly. Nightmares and memories are the same thing with me, I should be used to it, but-

Always a god damn  _but_ , wasn't there?

I stepped up anyway. This was my best chance for a lead on Yuki. This was my best chance to fix my mistake. When I saw Julia, I could manage enough empathy to wince. Her hair was a somewhat disheveled and her eyes squinted a little. My nose caught a whiff of faded chamomile and honey. She hadn't slept much either. Then again, considering the rumors, I suppose that would make sense.

Julia gestured for Ponch and his to speak, and I forced myself to listen. They all had a serious look on their face, and they looked like shit. Barone in particular, much like when I first met her, had a look in her eyes like that of an angry mother bear despite the gauze over her eye. She had more wounds than the boys, and her hair was in tatters, which said a lot more than any of their explanations.

She was the only reason the three of them were still alive. I could only guess at what that had taken.

I swallowed, feeling the shudder-thud of my heart in my ribcage. "I'll be careful," I finally said.

Julia eyed me through her bangs for a moment, and then she nodded. I was a stubborn little shit, but it didn't matter what side of the bridge you were trained on: when a Union Tamer fought seriously, a Union Tamer fought to kill. Remnants of the gang days and the early blossoms of CITY's existence where everything was a god damn fight. As Ponch leaned to help Gutts walk, the bandage by his neck was slowly turning pink again.

Those Light Fang really were taking this shit seriously. But why?

I had never been so glad as to have three dragons on my person as I felt right now. I had had a bad day sleeping, and the tremors and the dreams were right behind my eyelids. This was gonna be hell.

I turned to walk away, to get going before I chickened out, and then Julia called out my name. "Are you all right?" she asked when I turned. "Are you sure you want to go?"

Damn it.

I looked away.

Damn her so much. This was the problem.  _This_  was the problem with her, and probably both of the commanders. They were not all right, everyone knew it, the adults all thought of it as the curse of being sent up here as kids themselves. They had seen and done shit that made me shiver. Even so, even when they could have locked themselves away and kept to hermittude, they came out and picked up us kids, who were the pieces left behind. When they checked if we were okay, if we needed a cry, if there was something they could do from their powerless thrones to make us smile, it didn't matter,  _they would do it._

She was worrying about me. The damn bitch who had saved my life was worrying about me when there was a CITY-wide crisis.

I couldn't let her do that anymore. It was those stupid dreams making me emotional and thinking that way, I know it was.

"Yeah," I finally said, looking her square in the eye with a crooked grin on my face. "I need to. I'm Yuki's hero, right? I gotta give her an entrance worthy of the supers!" Before she could counter me, or call the redness by my eyes for what it was, I hurried to the gate and disappeared.

Looking back, I kind of wish I had heard what she had tried to say.


	17. Aggression in the Veins

The holograms for the tournaments have never done Resistor Jungle and its sweltering death the justice it deserves. To be fair, I've always hated heat. Right now though, I can't really think about it too much. All I can do is focus on the mission, on investigating the Light Fang. All I can do is make sure not to kill anyone, even though they nearly killed us. When it was all over, both sides would suffer for this anyway. I had to remember that, or I would screw up again. I just had to remember that and it would keep me sane. It would save my sister.

Yuki wouldn't want me to mindlessly slaughter people. This was for her sake. I'm obviously a selfish person, so it was also for mine.

Perhaps it was due to how serious I am, how tired I am, but Luna didn't make a fuss about the heat. She stood next to me, while Guile was in front of me. Luna's ears made slow swivels as we walked, creating cool bubbles around us. It wasn't the normal way of using her attack, but I appreciated it for what it was trying to do.

Gao snarled softly in the Digivice. He didn't like this, of course not. It was walking into a danger zone of your own free will and doing it with your head ducked low and your tail maybe drooping. "Sir, you should go back. You're not in a good condition. This isn't good for you."

I tamped down the urge to snap and scream and rage. That would only prove his point. He was right either way, and we all knew it. I chewed on my lip, and kept walking. I'm not good at listening in general, and for Yuki I'd go deaf. I just shuffled forward and ignored it.

He tried again. "Sir-"

"Zip it." It wasn't me who said it, but Luna. Luna took my hand in her tiny paw. Or the other way around really. Whatever. "She's goin'. You know when you tell her not to do something, the first thing she is going to do is go faster. Don't be dumb."

Gao snarled low. I winced. I was fucking them up, I was completely fucking up my kids. My stupid state was fucking them all up. I swear, why even bring them along? I was making them irritable and worried about me. Me, who was basically their mother.

"I'm just worried about-"

"And that's _helping_." Luna's sarcasm should win awards. Between that and her insults, I was always surprised people could tolerate her with ear plugs. I'd just grown immune I think.

"Standing right here," I said dryly, pleased to hear I didn't sound weepy like some child who had slammed their hand in the door. That does hurt though, just saying.

They ignored me. Of course. So I ignored the two of them, Gao having burst from the Digivice to argue a distance away. I was tempted to point out to them that they could bring half the jungle down on our heads before we found the path, but I was pretty sure my last sentence was about as good at coherency that I was going to get for the next while. So Guile walked in front of me, ignoring them. He barely looked over at me either, which, well, I wasn't surprised. The problem with having more than one dragon was that all of them were puppies. I was dead serious.

Guile just kept sniffing around, basically proving my point. Then he pointed with his tail. "Found the path."

"Good boy," I said wearily, patting one ear. I made to move in that direction, but he nuzzled my hand first. I blinked in surprise. "Guile…?"

"You'll save her, Mom." The utter confidence was almost disturbing. Where was my grumbling baby? "I know you will."

I rubbed my eyes. I was _not_ going to cry because one of my puppy-drakes was saying what I wanted to hear. Not me, nope. "Th… thanks..." I didn't sob at least, just sounded like I had a head cold. That would have been pathetic.

Guile nuzzled my hand again and we kept walking, and let the other two catch up. The good thing about Resistor Jungle was that once you found the path, like Chip Forest, you were pretty much set. Thank god. I didn't have time to hunt all day through a hot place with poisonous plants and slippery vines. And so far, there were no Light Fang to break the monotony or my dangerously tipping thoughts. I really need to hit something. Or cry. Or whatever good stress relief is for me. Maybe I should go back to drawing. Yeah, I'll send the note to Annie. Drawing therapy. That actually worked for a while. I don't know why I stopped.

It was my good ears that saved my life while I was daydreaming. I mentally thanked Dorothy, weird as that was, and roll to the side. Someone slammed into the ground where I had been standing, dressed in yellows and browns and various bright colors. They turned their head, almost mechanically, towards me. Well, that look was one I never wanted to see in my nightmares, blank as paper and intent on my neck. I crouched and for a moment, the two of us simply stared at each other, sizing the other up, contemplating the best places to hit.

Then, he moved, fingers intent on my throat. I did the first thing I could think of and my forehead collided head on with his nose. Ow.

My thoughts, somewhere between melodramatic and self-pity rage, shut down, and I moved to get out of the way. I jumped to the side and Guile lunged forward, mouth open and fire roaring out towards the blank face. An Allomon stood in the way and thank god. Murdering even rivals, as much as I joked about it, was a paperwork nightmare and grounds for expulsion. Grounds I would deserve.

God the politics for this was going to be a nightmare. I flipped back on my hands and feet and sprang forward, sliding under the Allomon and springing for a orange bandanna covered throat. He made to raise his hands, but I didn't get to find out if it was to choke me or block me because I crashed into him like a pile of bricks. I am only light until I dig my knees into you.

Behind me I heard grunts of pain as Guile the Growlmon crashed into an Allomon and let me tell you, that was hell waiting to happen. The boy scrambled and kicked me off. The shakes came back but not long enough to stop me from getting to chase after the now retreating boy.

I saw red, and maybe I shouldn't have. My head swam. Guile was still struggling with the Allomon, making to raise his thick, muscular arms and snap them like twigs.

"Bastard!" I shouted after the sun-colored blur. "You left your partner here, get back here bastard!"

Guile let out a sudden grunt of pain and crashed next to me. He made himself get up, because he was an idiot like that, and Allomon was gone, fading into the Digivice up ahead with sparks. I moved to his side, pulling out the Digivice to give him a scan. "You okay?"

I can actually ask that question and mean it, guys.

He nodded, and since I had only kind of seen the fight, I didn't have to take his word for it. "Something was seriously wrong with his head, mom," he said. "He didn't seriously seem to be fighting, just like… going through the motions or something."

"Well." I recalled him, letting Luna take his place. "I don't think his partner was. Didn't anyone tell Light Fang they suck at surprise attacks?" I moved to chase after him, letting Luna jump ahead of me.

In hindsight, this was a dumb idea.

I made it past the gate (why was there a gate built into a jungle anyway? The colonies left this place ages ago!) and felt my skin crawl. I ducked behind a tree and made to slip out. For the record, I am not Dorothy. I have some pretty good senses because she taught me (in more ways than one) in how to use them, and because I have a parent locked up who made extreme sound like a wimp's idea of a good time), but that does not mean I am cool with being _strangled from behind._

Which, with my luck, happened.

(Also, you know, still in emotional crisis, just in denial.)

Someone crashed into my back, knees first, and threw me to the ground with a thump. As if that didn't knock enough air out of me, hands closed around my neck and pushed. I stiffened, gagging for breath, squirming because _fuck you this is not comfortable_. And it was also damn smart. I struggled for air and to move one arm beneath pinned knees. In between desperate gags I recognized the scent of the person holding me down.

"P-Pulsa," I wheezed, still reaching one arm. "Th-… what are you doing?"

"Kill the enemy," he said in my ear, and I heard his voice, so blank, so much like… damn it brain this was not the time to think of _that_ fucking hellhole, this wasn'- "Destroy Night Claw… kill…?"

I managed to close my fingers around my Digivice and Solar burst out. Without any hesitation, she blasted him off of me with as much power as her little gear body possessed. He _screamed_ and all I heard was childhood echoes.

" _Get it out! Get off of me! It hurts!"_

I rolled and almost dry-heaved. The screaming didn't stop. "S-Stop, Solar," I croaked, watching him. This wasn't going anything like I wanted it to. I was supposed to be taking revenge. I was supposed to be beating the shit out of all these people and getting my sister back. Instead all I was doing was being a complete mess who couldn't even _kill_ properly.

Except, thankfully, I could still react. Solar had stopped moving, but Pulsa hadn't. He was up on his feet and lunging for me on the ground, despite all of the burns and all of the pain. I kicked out and the _whoosh_ of air caught my ears.

Unfortunately, it didn't stop Luna from trying to finish the job. (She could do that, a Lekismon kick could easily break some ribs). She had doubled back and was aiming to do just that. She didn't get there, because a red and orange blur crashed into her. She yelped in pain and punched him off, jumping beside me as Solar reformed into a Clockmon.

The creature righted himself quickly and covered a space in the trees, crouching on all fours and scowling.

Luna raised herself to her full, admittedly lacking for a Digimon, height. "Sol," she hissed. "What. The. _Fuck_."

The beast creature threw back his mane and snorted at her. God damn. _That_ was a death sentence. "I should be asking you that, _sis._ " He squinted at me, then at her. "Didn't know you liked making humans go splat. Thought you were different."

"Shit happens when the fucker decides to attempt to kill what's _mine."_ She stepped forward. She had forgotten Pulsa entirely and thank god because now he looked a little less blank. He was groaning in pain and the sound wasn't helping anymore than the memory of the screams. I grimaced and tried to stand. Solar helped and I shut my eyes.

"Pulsa hates killing."

I shouldn't have been surprised to hear that voice. I wasn't, really. It was the venom in it, the anger, that surprised me. I thought he'd sound hoity-toity and smug when he was pissed. Turns out, Koh could sound just as dismissive and wild when he was pissed too.

Koh moved over to Pulsa, who for some magical reason, stopped struggling to get up, and looked at him. "Come on man," he said, and for some reason, hearing him sound nice and kind when he really just wanted to stomp me to the floor hurt like the once done stitches in my shoulders. "Get to the gate. I'll cover you!"

Pulsa blinked, eyes unfocused. Then he nodded, and bolted away. Luna moved to fire, but Sol sent a fireball at her. Luna dismissed it and sank into a fighting stance. Once he was out of sight, Koh turned to me.

"You tried to set my best friend on fire," he accused. His red eyes bored into me, like they could see the heart I didn't have. "I know you guys play dirty, but the hell is the matter with you? Attacking your own fellow tamers?"

I wanted to snap at him. I wanted to take him by his shoulders and throw him into the nearest sharp branch and leave him there to bleed to death.

Instead I just laughed. I laughed until tears were rising on my face and falling hard. " _Fuck you_ ," I finally managed to say, standing up straight. "Fuck you and your child kidnapping shit." That was Luna's cue, because she kicked Sol, who was her brother, how fucked was that, in the jaw. He skidded and cloaked himself in fire. "Fuck you," I continued, and I knew I was crying and I hated it. "And your hypocritical, selfish, assuming ass! _I_ attacked _your_ friend? Pulsa knew me way before you and _he just tried to strangle me!"_ I threw myself up from the ground, headbutting Koh hard enough to hurt us both and punched him. He threw me off easily but I couldn't care. I just had to keep getting up. That was all I needed. I'd get an answer eventually.

I jumped back, moved away from Sol's flaming death trap of a dive bomb. "Your fucking team _stole my sister_ from her school without permission and you're giving _me_ dirty looks! You want to make this even?" I kicked for Koh's stomach. He blocked and hit me in the face. I'd almost respect that. Sidestep again. Left jab, uppercut. Took his position. Trip him. Failed. Next attempt. "Do you?"

"You're smoking some crazy shit," Koh grunted and he shoved me hard, to the ground. I was waiting with an upturned knee. "Glare goes through that shit himself. He wouldn't even steal _me_ , as much as I wanted it."

"Bullshit!" I shouted and I kicked him, right where it hurt. I felt him howl because the groin was a low blow. Still didn't care. "You have my Yuki!" I stopped throwing punches because I was too hot-mad to hit things. Koh took advantage of it and forced me to block. "You took my Yuki! I'm supposed to protect her and you bastards stole her! Where is she? What have you _done to her?_ "

"Maybe we took her because you're dangerous for her!" Koh shouted.

If that was supposed to make me angry, it just made me laugh harder and cry more. That was the shittiest bluff and we both knew.

"Yeah," I giggled. I couldn't even fight anymore. Even as the other two started to slow, turned to look at us and drip blood, I just kept laughing. "Yeah, I'm so _dangerous_ I can't even fight _you_ and win. Does that look dangerous to… to you…? It's pathetic, isn't it? It's completely pathetic..." I managed to lift my head, still laughing with hysteria and bad dreams killing me even though I was wide awake.

"Go fuck yourself Koh," I giggled. "Go fuck your high-horse and run back to your commander with your tail between your legs. _You_ find my sister, if you think I'm too much of a basket case to do it… you go instead if you're so damn great..." I curled into myself, finally dry heaving, finally well and truly unable to do shit. "I hate you bastards," I choked out. "Why am I the bad guy when you all tried to kill us? Why is it I'm evil when you have my Yuki, my family? Why is it that you're allowed to have everything? … I hate you all so much..."

The battlefield went so quiet but I couldn't tell through the roaring in my ears. I didn't hear him for a long time.

Then I felt Sol begin to move away and I swore I heard him say. "I don't have anything important like you do, I guess."

That honestly just made me feel worse.

A minute later, our Digivices rang out.


	18. Gouge My Eyes Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for past physical abuse, parental abuse, PTSD, emotional abuse.

If my Digivice hadn't beeped, hadn't given me a warning about what an important day today was, I wouldn't have gotten up that morning, almost three days after my breakdown in the jungle. Of course, my body was fine. I could be sore as all hell and my wounds would be healed within no time at all. Suppose I deserved it, running around the way I did. I couldn't bring myself to care right now though.

I made myself sit up, and came face to face with a yellow fox, their blue eyes intent on my purple ones. I winced and failed at smiling. At least I was coherent today. "Morning, Durante."

He nuzzled my face. My Pabus were no longer Pabus that could fit in my hands, but they insisted on as much close contact and affection as ever. I couldn't refuse them that. "Morning, Mama." He sat back, fluffy tail swishing casually. He always tried to act like he wasn't excited to see me in general, unlike his brother who never bothered to hide it. I always knew though. His tail was a little tell. "You need to eat."

"I need to shower," I muttered, climbing off the bed.

"Yes, that too." He pretended like the idea of me not showering wasn't a bother. "But you get nauseous if you don't eat first."

"Right, right…" When did my kids turn into such hens? "Has Roni eaten all of the food yet?"

"Not yet!" Big eared goof heard me across the Tamer Home. Then again, we had no doors. I let out a tired snort and went to grab clothes for after I ate. The digimon, like they seemed to like to do (even Luna, who I figured would never do this in a million years, were sitting on a picnic blanket in one of the sandy areas, munching. The babies had given up on the blanket and were all huddled on a beach towel, dutifully supervised by Doru, furry of death and henning. She wagged her tail at me as I approached. Gao immediately jumped up to drag me down to them. I let him pull and tug. Goof. All of these dorks were goofs.

My Digivice flickered in my pocket. I didn't have to look at the message that had been blaring on my screen since the fight with Koh, since my loss to that bastard. I had been pathetic enough to break down in front of him. I should have expected it.

_Avoid the Light Fang. If you see one, do not engage._

It was a message from Julia, not from the Union itself. Whatever the reason, Union had shut itself away from us. The holy ones who had helped construct this place were abandoning its kids, its people.

Well, fuck them too.

Dad would tell me that they had their reasons, even if their reasons were utter shit. He was a better person than me, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

Roni, the other Pabu, had his face deep in his food bowl, and I could see Solar's left gear raised to smash him in the back of the head and end the torture of listening to him. "Roni, chew," I warned, looking back down at my rice and fish. I'd probably be taller if I ate more hearty meals. He lifted his head and his beady black eyes widened at the sight of the gear. He scurried away with his bowl, ending up curled against my leg. Obediently, I scratched one of his oversized Terriermon ears.

"Going home, Mama?" I managed to translate the question through him scarfing down food. Alec had both chopsticks poised to stab Roni in the eyes. I gently grabbed them and directed the dragon's blue hand back to the rice without thinking. Thank any holy deity I had taught Alec and Durante how to use the rice cooker.

I shook my head no. "Dad's birthday is in a bit yet." And if I played my cards right, Yuki being home and safe would be his present. "I have to go visit mom." I keep my voice casual and even, despite feeling the tension that rose from everyone in the room. "I was going to do it earlier, but the resident distract was shot, so..."

The entire group stayed quiet. Even the baby puffs, who would know nothing about any of this, looked at me with trepidation and their own too mature pity. I looked at them all, shrugged, and kept putting food in my mouth. I would need a full stomach for today. "Don' worry, guys," I said. "She can't get me from this side."

"Yes she can." Durante sounded tired already, silly fox. "Grandpa could talk to her instead right? Tell her?"

I snorted. "He's not allowed up there without an escort, you know that. Union policy. She's got the power to hurt people with handcuffs on and all."

" _Mom_ doesn't need an escort." Guile sounded even less pleased than Durante, and Durante could make irritation feel like the smell of young wine.

"Union privilege," I said dryly, finishing my food. "It was great, guys. Don't worry." I picked up my plates. "I'll be fine."

Even though it was likely a lie, I let myself believe it. I'd been in too much of a funk lately. That had to change, or I wouldn't get anything done.

* * *

There was no expense spared for our prison, if nothing else. Most prisoners would be out within months or years. All but the worst. All but the ones who failed every reformation program they were put into. The stronger they were, the less obvious their security.

In my mother's living area, no one could be seen.

I could sense them, smell them even. Small Digimon that could burst into monsters at the slightest hint of danger. Humans who lived in rooms opposite during the day and night. My Digivice was the only non-civillian item I was allowed to bring during these visits. Luna, Alec, and Gao were inside. Doru and Guile were too loose. So was Luna, but she wouldn't leave my side even if someone better (which there were plenty of people better than me, don't get me wrong) came along, so that was that. Alec and Gao would be too focused on restraining her to do anything, I figured.

I hoped.

"Mornin' Sayo," greeted a voice. I looked up from my Digivice lock to see Litton, the Gold ranked second from Light Fang striding up, blonde locks falling all about her ears. What the hell was she doing here? I said so and she grimaced.

"I've been stationed on the resident side since before the tournament," she said, sidling up to me in her magic way of knowing where I was. Anubimon was hovering worriedly at her side and I waved him off. She didn't seem to be in the 'kill the night claw' moodthat everyone else was over there, so I wasn't gonna do anything.. "I had a strict order from Chief Glare to 'fuck off and take a break from murder'."

I snorted. Somehow I wasn't surprised that the guy had gone to that level of cursing. It usually took that level of foul language to get Litton to pay attention. "So you're here, because…?"

"Checking on the systems before I fly off to Directory." She grimaced. "Apparently no one from Light Fang's been up to check them lately, so I figured I oughta do it and send it to both sides." I winced, thanking god she could not see it. She paused, one of those pregnant ones that brought back memories of needles and healing stitches and pain. "You're gonna check on your mom."

"… Yeah."I sighed. "Please don't give me any shit about it."

She patted my shoulder. "You've got babies out the ears to tell you you're consistent at making stupid decisions." I snorted. Had to love her being a big sis nerd. She said I reminded her of her little sister sometimes. I hoped not.

"Gee, thanks."

She patted me on the back again. "Always here to up your self-esteem." Her watch beeped. Litton sighed. "I gotta go. Have a date in a couple of hours." She smirked. "Should I tell him you're as cute as ever?"

I elbowed her in the ribs. "Girl quit trying to shove your boyfriend onto me." Nothing weirder than another girl's dude being interested in both of you at the same time when you hadn't even met. Geez. Not that Litton cared. Hell, I didn't even care.

Litton rolled her eyes. "He'll take that as a chance. See ya." She left, leaving me shaking a little where I stood. I scanned my Digivice into the reader. One of the Tamers, usually the fellas who administered the rank tests, led me down to the meeting room. Public, full of cameras, girl in the room with a gun, you could not get any more television style in your prison set up.

I sat in the plastic chair and drummed my fingers against my arms. It was easy to fake not being scared, because that was what she wanted. She wanted to see her tough big girl even while she was shredding her apart.

" _What good are you, Sayo?_ He _would have been better."_

" _Squirming won't make the pain go away."_

Think happy thoughts, dumbass. Like Peter Pan. You can't grow up any more either.

"Well, well, hello darling."

My nails dug into my dress shirt and I looked up. My mother was never a tall woman. She was around Julia's height. Like the chief, her presence was clear. Unlike the chief, my mother's presence could not be ignored. Julia liked to pretend she could look harmless. Tsukino Yuma never bothered. She never bothered to hide the soft ears that poked up in her hair, nor the fluffy tail that was as disciplined as the smile she was leveling at me. It was so earnest. I wanted to submit to it now, even though I knew better.

"And you're not wearing the uniform either, nor that ghastly hat." She settled in the chair like it was her throne and she expected it to be the same every day at this time, with me ready to attend her. My wrists itched.

"They made me leave it at the door," I said, feeling my mouth dry. "They don't want me to give you something you shouldn't have." Like basically everything. Even her uniform lacked pockets, the shock cuffs on her wrists made of red Digizoid. It was the strongest thing they had to contain her.

My back could tell you how much good they actually did.

"So, how are things?" She folded her hands in her lap. "Draven refuses to bring your sister here. Says she won't come. Have you told her not to?"

"I'm not home enough anymore to tell her anything like that," I said. It was the truth. I wouldn't ever tell Yuki not to visit our mother. I know for a fact that she loves Yuki. "I have my work at the Union and my training. They don't let us go home much the first few years, remember?"

"Such a _silly_ rule." She was still smiling, but her voice was drier now. "That shouldn't be enough to keep you from your duty, Sayo. You know that. I've taught you that."

"I know." I forced myself to keep straight in my chair, to look just to the side of her instead of at her. She was right though and I knew it. If I had been at home more, I would have been able to save her from the Light Fang or whoever getting her. "They can physically restrain me, though..."

"As if you can't throw that off." The scoff hurt more than the words. "No one can hurt you like one of _us_ can, when are you going to accept that?"

My eyes watered and I looked down. Goddess could she get into my head. She was still right. If I wanted to, I could break free and stay at home as much as I wanted. I just didn't want to- no. No Sayo. Shut up. She's just fucking with you, like always. Like she has been for years. Your kind mom is long gone. She's been gone since Yuki was a baby.

Even if I didn't remember it, I knew that like I knew the pattern of my bedspread. "Dad wouldn't want me to do that. He's tough too."

She waved a hand. "She's her father. If he wasn't I wouldn't have married him. Don't _make excuses, Sayo."_ She leaned closer to me and her smile was gentle again. "You've lost her, haven't you?"

I didn't look up; only nodded. She scoffed.

"Of course you did. Why am I not surprised?"


	19. Force of a Great Typhoon

My kids were watching me. Even through my blanket cocoon, I could feel the many eyes on me in my half-asleep state. I wanted to care. I wanted to feel guilty. I didn't. I just went back to sleep. In the dreams I could hate myself without anyone else's smiles to tell me it wasn't true. My wounds probably needed the healing time anyway.

Of course, because I could never get any time to myself, I was eventually bowled over by a heavy weight. A heavy babbling weight.

"Up! Get up Sayo! You're not going to waste away~ I won't let you!"

Dorothy. Damn it.

I groaned and kicked the blanket, aiming both it and my foot for her head. I missed but I wasn't really trying. At least I hope I wasn't. Julia would kill me for knocking her niece with a concussion. Especially if she drowned. Damn it.

"Go away!"

Dorothy ran her fingers up my back. I glowered. Man, did she _have_ to do that? She then moved to pet my head, which I could feel through the blanket. Damn her. She knew I liked that too. Why did we date back in basic?

 _Because you both needed someone at the time,_ my inner intelligence sniped at me. I grimaced into the pillow. I had just gotten out of some of my shit, most of which Annie was pretty sure I'll never remember properly, and Dorothy had just come out of something completely traumatizing that I knew she was not over. Hence why she had been back in basic.

"Come on, you're a tough little monster, Sayo," she chirped, magically knowing where my ear was. "You gotta get up and cause havoc sometime."

Case in point: saying shit like that.

I grimaced, realizing she wasn't going to leave me alone. I poked my head out of the blankets. "Dorothy, the actual fuck."

"Later," she said dismissively. No Dory, really. No. "The ranking tests reopened! Come on, a little violence is the perfect thing to get you back in shape!"

… Well. She wasn't _wrong._

I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "They did? What about the Light Fang?" They wouldn't seriously let those guys in there, right? They had to have the accusations spread out now, right? I wasn't getting my hopes up. CITY ran shit on a good day.

Dorothy shrugged, now sitting cross-legged on my bed. She reached over and tweaked my nose. "I think their portal access has been blocked. It's funny how fast they figured out how to do it after that one kid over on that side figured out how to make gatedisks."

I blinked at her. "A _kid_ made GateDisks?" Why hadn't I heard about this before? In the early days of Union, tamers having anything like a portal was a super fucking joke. Like, it sounded cute up until about four or five years ago, when we had all been taught to run for exits like they had a well-cooked meal on them. Then the prototypes had started getting tested and bam! Easy access in and out of the CITY. The maker's name had never leaked down to my level, but it was a rumor after I took my initiation exams that they were a high up.

"Yup." Dorothy grabbed the tray that Durante was holding. He was twitching with the urge to hug me. I eventually let him. "Koh. You know: short, skinny, you tried to kill each other?"

I let out a groan and slumped back into the pillow. Well, _that_ killed my motivation. "That's fucking nuts."

Dorothy smiled, a look I swear she got from her aunt. Or her mom. I think I met her once. "Aww. Jealous?"

I scowled at her. "Hardly!" Hah, not at all. No wonder he was such a dick. Geniuses were as bad at social skills as me, or worse, generally.

Dorothy giggled. "You so are. It's okay, you're a combat girl. He's the scientist nerd." She covered her mouth to muffle her giggles. "Imagine your kids."

"Rather not, thanks." I threw a pillow at her head. Me, have _actual_ children. The Digimon were enough. Besides, knowing my luck I was worse for them than my mother. That said a lot.

Dorothy giggled again. I swear, I never wanted to lose a Digimon partner. It completely fucked up your head, and probably worse than Mom had ever done to me. "You should, you should. If not I might ask him instead. Julie would love it!"

"Dory, the Light Fang tried to _kill_ you." Okay to be fair that stopped absolutely fucking no one on this island in the middle of dimensional nowhere but still. "You would probably be accused of fraternizing with the enemy."Or shagging the enemy. Whichever was funnier.

"That hasn't stopped Litton at all." She pouted and tugged my blanket off of me. I gave up and went to get dressed, pouting the whole while.

"Yeah but the Directory area isn't full of our enemies, just superpowered people that supposedly have tails and shit. Like my mom's side of the family." I paused and thanked god (goddess, whatever) for Dad's genes. Tails. Those sounded like _work._

"And we see how helpful she is." Dorothy went towards my kitchen. "Come on, you've got two hours before they open."

I whipped around. "Stay out of my kitchen! Durante, grab her legs!"

Thank god my fox had a good sense of self-preservation.

* * *

Okay, waiting rooms seriously sucked. I had just left my therapist meeting with Annie, which had gone about as well as I had expected. At least she had said it was okay for me to start drawing again. On the downside, that also required me to find my old sketchbooks. According to her, the previous therapist for us (they usually rotated) said I remembered a lot more than I currently did, so that might jog something in my head. I wasn't exactly sure that I wanted to do that, but at this point, not listening to Annie had gotten me nowhere. Maybe listening to her would get me to do things. I doubted it but you know. Hope and all of that.

Now I was sitting, watching a couple of little trainees head in for their Normal Exam. They were clearly the precocious types, and were about to get their butts handed to them, but I didn't want to say so. I wasn't that mean. Besides, what if they won? I would really look like the bad guy then.

So I watched them take their exams on the monitor, watch their Digimon trying to use power when they were meant to be fast and relied on a defense that is roughshod at best. I watched and envied them. No idea why though. I could just miss the somewhat carefree way they acted, and yet how it was all so serious. When I was first in the program…

Why _did_ I join Union?

Sitting here, watching Gao stretch his longer legs while giving the second little kid her space and Alec practice little punches so when he does evolve he's not waiting for the boost, I realized I didn't remember. I don't remember what it was. I rack my brain and think of switchblades pressed into my palms. I think of a desperate, sobbing woman holding me close and swearing she won't lose me.

I don't think of her as my mom, because that wasn't her.

Right?

Stupid waiting rooms causing me to think.

I shook my head. No need to think about my reasons now. If I had stayed home, I would have been able to protect Yuki, but nothing else. I had never gone to a school before the program. The gangs were in pieces after I was born at best. I could barely read and write. I was here because I had nothing else. It was expected of me.

That was all it was. Now I just had to use those skills for Yuki's sake.

The second child went into the portal, hugging the first, who looked downtrodden. The child (he probably wasn't a kid come to think of it, maybe a teenager. Well he was shorter than me, so the thought still stood) went back to the bench he had been sitting on with his friend. He sat there, swinging his legs and watching the soles of his old shoes flop around.

Why did the kids join Union?

Probably because the adults made it look better than it was. Or they were like me, kids who had grown up with people they knew in the gangs, who had parents who had raised them in the fine art of destroying what invaded you. Like me. I had been on the end, on the fringes, I knew people who lived in that life. My dad helped them. They said he was instrumental in getting people to listen, and there he was, a quiet nurse in the Children's Hospital. He was a hero, I guess.

Maybe that was why I was here. It was probably why we were all here.

We didn't want to just be criminals.

"Miss?"

I looked over at the kid, whose too-big vest was hanging off of his shoulders. He was very close to Gao, whose face dwarfed the kid with ease.

"Yeah?" I tilted my head.

"Can I pet your puppy?"

The innocent question threw me for a moment, even as Alec and Luna laughed hysterically. Gao's eye twitched. This was not the form of a _puppy_. I knew that was exactly what he was thinking and I couldn't help grinning a bit.

"Yeah, sure. He doesn't eat kids."

"I could start," he grumbled, but obediently he lowered his head to be pet. The small fingers closed to scratch under his chin and Gao's curled tail started wagging before he could stop it. Alec and Luna laughed harder and I felt my grin widen just a tiny bit.

"What are you here for, Nee-chan?"

Nee-chan. Man, hadn't heard that outside of the family for a while.

"I have my Bronze Ranking test," I replied, mouth going before my brain. Stinking kids. And me, being a bleeding heart now. Must be because I saw mom the other day, that had to be it. "You?" I asked, though I already knew.

"Trying to do my qualifiers." The boy drooped. "I failed." He groaned. "At this rate, I'll _never_ be a Tamer like you and my brother. And your Digimon all look so tough too!"

Luna puffed up and I pulled on her antenna. "These guys are wet noodles," I said, feeling all of them give me looks of mocking betrayal. "They're only tough in a fight. Look how happy Gao is."

 _"Sir."_ His voice was strained with exasperation. The kid giggled.

"My Kiwimon says that a bunch!"

I blinked. I hadn't seen his Kiwimon on screen. "You have a bird?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, she's super tough and cool! But..." He sighed. "We were in Resistor Jungle a bit ago and she got hurt helping me run from those Light Fang..." He rubbed his eyes. "they said she'll be okay, but no missions for a while." He looked up at me and I started, thinking of Yuki when she scraped her knees, when I had to carry her home from when a lake fall. She had cried both times. "Nee-chan, are the Light Fang bad?"

Not too long ago, I would have answered yes, but now I couldn't answer.

I was saved from having to say that by the boy's friend running down from the portal with a grin the size of Darkmoon on her face. "I did it!" she shouted, catapulting into his delighted hug. And he was a good sport about it, and looked so happy for her.

"Raigo-nii's gonna be so happy!" he said, and the two of them, siblings I realized now, spun around Gao. He tolerated it with a twitching eyebrow.

Raigo had little siblings. Huh. Well, I have officially seen everything.

"Sayo?" The referee waved me over and I returned my Digimon. "Take your place."

I nodded and went up the ramp.

"Good luck, Nee-chan!" the little boy chirped and his sister waved at my back.

I smiled, really smiled, and went into the portal.

Dorothy had been right, for a different reason. I did feel better.


	20. A Great Pile of Nonsense

I have always liked listening to my father's voice. Even in the vaguest, dullest recollection of toddlerhood, I remembered it as steady and soothing, accompanied by his hands brushing my hair. He was always the best at it. He made sure I could do it, but it was never the same.

I wish I made him worry about six times less.

"You're getting gray hair," I told him, chewing a piece of fish.

He laughed. "I live in a stressful environment." When I wilted a little, because I really didn't know how else to react to that, Dad shook his head. "You two are good girls, Sayo." He let out a tired sigh. "I know your mother doesn't think so, but she can be wrong."

"She read you the riot act too?" Hard to believe that even locked up, she could control us all like it was nothing. It was probably some super power of my grandparents. I'd never met them. The closest I had to relatives in general that I knew about was Uncle Shinta and he was the complete opposite of my mother.

"The riot act and its amendments." Dad looked at me with so much raw love that I sat back in the rolling chair a little from the force of it. "She's wrong, lass. You're doing the right thing."

I tried very hard not to let my expression crumple. "It's hard to remember that." I felt Doru nose my hand where it was resting in my lap and I let her lick it. She forced her face eagerly into the view of the camera. Greedy little pupdrake she was.

"I know." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She's never taken losing children well, even if it's for a good reason."

I couldn't argue with that, because I couldn't remember. Dad sometimess said that I had had a brother once. I wouldn't be surprised if Mom had murdered him in his sleep, even though every cell in my body said she would never go that far. I shook my head to clear it as Doru sniffed the screen. "Doru, stop," I told her.

Dad laughed. "Nice to see you too, Doru." At least _dad_ didn't question my naming sense.

She waved a paw at the screen. "Hi grandpa! How is Uncle Danger?"

Dad scratched his head. "Haven't seen him or Shinta in a while, I'm afraid. I think Shinta's dating again."

"Oh no," I muttered. That could mean anything. I heard the other Digimon starting to crowd closer. Doru's outburst had triggered a wave of Digimon kids all wanting to say hi to my dad.

I sat back in my chair and let them chat, noticing Luna sitting quietly on the bed. She was always awkward around my dad. Maybe it was because she wasn't a Digimon I scanned in and created. She had come to me, declared me hers (one of my first actual memories that I could understand and keep remembering)) and refused to leave. She probably thought my dad disliked her for that, for barging on a fragile house and making it more confusing. I didn't think he minded though.

I heard my Digivice beep and pulled it over. It didn't distract the other Digimon, but Luna went over to look. "Huh. A Union Quest."

"Haven' had one of those in a while," Alec deadpanned. I poked him in the nose. Gee, wonder why.

"Probably got sick of me locking myself in the Tamer Home," I mused. Scanning the details, I sighed. "All right, we're going someplace muggy and bitchy." I raised my voice. "Dad, I'm sorry, but I gotta run. Julia's wanting me to do work. I'll leave the chat on for the kids though. Durante will turn it off."

He waved a hand. "Be careful. And congratulations on the rank up."

I grinned. "Thanks, but it doesn't mean much since I still can't carry my machete around."

"Sayo," he warned. "I didn't buy that for you so you could wave it around."

"I haven't dad," I promised, running my thumb over the bronze pin on my jacket. "Guile, Alec, Solar, Gao, Luna and Doru, are you coming?"

The six of them let out various noises of approval.

"I wanna come mom," Roni protested as his brother prevented him from spinning in the chair.

I shook my head. "Doru's fur is gonna be bad enough. You and Durante will be worse. Don't worry. Your mission is to keep dad company until he heads off to bed for today. Got it?"

"Okay, Mom!" Roni's drooping posture lasted until he turned back to the screen. I ignored dad laughing at me. I was just doing what he taught me to do. Jeez!

* * *

"Chief, have you _slept?_ "

I mean I have spent a lot of the time under the covers and out of the world at large. I'm starting to wonder if I took her sleep away in the process. Oops. She probably needs some of it. Too bad you can't get back sleep you've lost. She stared at me over the bags in her eyes and it was disturbing.

She shot me a disgruntled look. Either she needed sleep or she needed to get laid. Or both. If the second, I did _not_ want to know. "Not all of us are paid for mental breakdowns."

"You're paid _more_ than me for mental breakdowns," I said before I could stop myself. "What's the mission?" I heard Dorothy giggling nearby and tried to ignore her. "All I saw was something on Palette Amazon and dressed light."

Julia turned to the monitor. "I sent Sukekiyo and Kakumi on into Palette Amazon a couple of days ago for recon purposes. I haven't heard back since last night."

Why did I feel like this was turning into Limit Valley 2.0?

She glanced back at me, as if reading my mind. "They've probably attacked something they shouldn't have without backup. I want you to take a look and pull them out if they've gone too far."

"And if they're screwed?" Which, considering the two times I've been to Palette Amazon, didn't say much for the place.

Julia scoffed at me. "They just became Silver Tamers. If they die in a gory fashion, take their weapons and kill what killed them."

I let out a barking laugh and saluted. "Never change Chief."

"Be careful while you're there," she said, going back to her work. "We've been catching signals similar to the ones at Limit Valley and Loop Swamp. Be careful."

In other words, if Yuki was there somehow, don't kill your teammates to try and save her.

Sounded easier said than done.

* * *

It was not as muggy as Loop Swamp, nor were there any whirlpools in sight. I counted that as a step up already. Just in case, Solar decided to lift me onto her back. "You really need to use a different name for me," she told me as we walked, dangling me from on her head. It'd be humiliating if I wasn't used to being the size of a bean.

"Like what?" I asked, keeping my voice down as I watched Gao's fluffy tail wag when it peeked out of bushes.

Solar huffed, swinging her mallet around. "Oh, I dunno. You called me Sasha at first. Can we go back to that?"

I blinked. I honestly couldn't remember. I'd hatched so many eggs since I first got my Solarmon that names slipped my mind. Nobody bothered to remind me either. I only remembered most of them because I had to shout them across the tamer home. Like Alec. When he dropped the Pabus. Into the _ocean_.

I shrugged off my confusion. If one of my kids wanted a name change, I would just have to work hard to remember it. "Okay, sure. Sasha. From now on."

Her stitched mouth widened with a smile. Then we turned at the sound of Gao's startled bark.

"Sir! Bloodied Union uniforms!"

Oh _fuck._

"I had hoped Julia was joking..." Sasha murmured.

I released Luna. "So had I."


	21. Ducks Going In A Row

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mercurymon's name is courtesy of OnixflametheBlue! Check out his stuff guys! Warning for more allusions to abuse and a mind suffering from the effects of it. Also brief mention to drug use and sensory overload.

I thanked the deities and the Holy Beasts that I am in the right boots to run on sand because otherwise I would probably be so far past six feet under I would be past hell. I ran to find Gao, who was sniffing torn up purple jackets and a couple of hair clips. Well, if they weren't dead, they were in deep shit, let us put it that way. I kept up my run, feeling Luna swear against the sand more than hearing it. I reflexively reached out and patted their heads after I stopped to breathe. "Find the trail?"

"Barely," admitted the dog, looking around. "It's relatively recent but the wet sand is making this more difficult than I anticipated." He pointed with his nose and I scratched one ear. He made a noise of delight, tail wagging. Killed the mood of possibly dead higher-ups but he liked his ear scratches. Most dogs did. Then he was off like a shot, running through the sand with me on his heels. I barely stopped to evolve Luna once. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do it again. At this rate though, she had to do it. Whatever killed Bronze or higher Tamers was at least a Perfect level.

We kept running. I barely stopped myself from tripping over a box. I let out a swear word and looked down at the orange box. Gao stopped, nearly dancing with Alec close at hand. Of course he was excited. Alec had been wanting a good fight since we had found him suddenly an AeroV-dramon on the beach below my house. He had looked so damn smug about it too. Not that we had any idea if he could fly or not but that didn't stop the guy from getting excited.

I knelt, my fingers curling over the lid of the box. I couldn't quite explain why., but I had a sudden urge to pry that thing open as soon as possible.

"Sir?" Gao called warily.

"One sec!" I reached into the little thing. I had to wonder how much stuff got dropped by dead Tamers or things like that over the years. Not that CITY was all that old, it was younger than basically almost every country I knew about on Earth and probably a lot I didn't. Still, there were a lot of dead people in the Digital World. Humans supposedly lived here after all. I didn't remember meeting too many.

I lifted what looked to me like a giant chicken egg out of the box. Well, except the egg looked like it was on fire. And there was a giant horn sticking out of it. Ow. Maybe I could stab whoever took Sukekiyo and Kakumi with it so they wouldn't squish me.

Luna hopped down to pick me up. Apparently I was taking too long. "A Digimental thingie?" she asked as she hopped.

"You know, a former member of the Olympus Twelve should not use 'thingie' in conversation," I told her, sucking said 'thingie' into my Digivice. "I'm the uneducated heathen. I should sound stupid."

"Piss off," she grumbled at me. "We aren't exactly expecting to trip over Digimentals. That's the second one you've gotten." She caught up to Gao, who I let become MachGaogamon, if only to hide Alec, punching dragon extraordinaire, in his fist. "Hell, the first one was a mission reward."

"Well apparently that means _I_ can just trip over them, huh?" I couldn't help the sass. It was just how we rolled. She scowled at me again and kept jumping. I hoped this wouldn't be the time I chose to develop motion sickness. This was not the time, guys.

Saying that should have sealed my fate, but the smell of blood almost did it instead. I shut my eyes at the dizziness making my head start to pound. The rusty red stained the sand, but when I squinted my eyes open to see, it didn't seem enough to be a death sentence.

Still… the _smell_. I covered my nose and mouth. They all looked at me, all my Digimon.

Damn it. The love and concern hurt as much as the stench.

"'S nothin," I said after a minute. "My nose was actin' funny, that's all." I uncovered it, and everything was fine. Even the thick blood stench was fine. I was used to it again. "Let's keep going."

Luna picked me up again, and jumped. Still, I could feel it, their gentle eyes.

Damn me for teaching my kids to care.

* * *

At the sounds of yelling, I made Luna stop and put me down. "Go in," I told her. Doru pulled herself from the Digivice to nuzzle my face. I pet her without thinking. Her ears went back, like Dad said Mom's used to do, when they were in love. When Mom knew how to love, her ears would go back and she would lean in real close to him and make noises like a cat. Dad said that when I was a baby, she would make those noises for me all of the time. I wouldn't stop crying if she didn't, he would say.

I do the same thing when he hugs me now, he says. Or with Yuki. Yuki didn't do it, but then, she didn't look like Mom the way I did. A little albino girl, she was the least like her.

I have her hair. I have her face. I have her eyes. All I have from Dad is the dexterity. Mom was a klutz. That was why sometimes, the pain would be worse. Because sometimes she wouldn't mean it.

I pet Doru a little more softly, feeding the power into her fur.

It didn't change me being punished though. Nothing could do that. And I had _needed_ to be punished. I still do, I think. For now, though, I have to make up for mistakes, and that means another fight. A fight against something strong.

I'm probably fucked.

Doru shifted beneath my hand and I pulled away as evolution turned her red and metallic and, to me, at least, beautiful. She set me against her neck. "Uncle Danger would think I look cool, huh?" she said to me. "You got me to evolve so fast, Sayo!"

I smiled and pressed my hands back into her fur. "Yeah," I agreed. "He'd think you're great."

 _Because you are,_ I thought to myself. _You all are._

Doru took to the air, above the trees that Gao was easily dodging. I didn't have to look to see Alec was probably going to puke. Well, there was nothing like flying to teach someone how to do it. I caught sight of the light of evolution. A Dinobeemon shrank down into an XV-mon and Stingmon. I heard Alec scoff.

"Amateurs."

"Jealous," I countered and Luna snorted. "Get ready to dive. Alec."

"You got it, Ma." He crouched. "'Ey, Gao, boost me up."

Gao sweatdropped. "You took Mother's idea of me punching her into a guy _way_ too far."

I tried not to look smug as Alec flipped into the air, glowing with more power that I had coiled around my fist. Then he dove, big, blue and red wings opened wide to catch the air as he punched a Fugamon in the face. Wait, hold on.

"It cannot just be a pair of Fugamon that tripped up these guys," I muttered as I jumped off of Doru. Kakumi saw me, or well, I saw her. She squeaked when I made a small pit in the sand when I landed. I looked up at her and Sukekiyo, both of whom quite bluntly, looked like shit. Apparently it wouldn't be the first time. Oh wait that was shit-faced, my bad. "I swear if you tell me some Fugamon got two recent Silver graduates in a bad way then I will kill you both right here and now." I wasn't kidding about that. At this point, it would be a mercy kill.

Kakumi pushed her orange hair back into its current haphazard ponytail. "If it was just the Fugamon, we would have been home sipping orange juice." She flicked one of the ears on my hats. "No, we've got someone much better in our sights… or we hopefully do if your idiot didn't startle him off."

I scowled. "You both are _stinking_ of blood. If whoever you're going after doesn't smell you, I'm-ow!." Sukekiyo had shut me up with a noogie. Jerk. "Not the time," I squeaked, trying to protect my head from his knuckles.

He grinned at me. "Always the time. Now, shape up. We've got a doozy of a guy coming out. A Kowloon Company elite. Like that skull dinosaur you punched in the face."

"No one is going to let me live that one down, are they?" I grumbled and waved my hand. Alec shot off, going to hide as best as his hulking form could. It beat trying to let him back in and out of the digivice. Seriously. I sobered. This guy might have seen Yuki for a business transaction. Any info at this point sounded good, especially now that I had help to beat it out of them.

Then, something rocketed from what my eyes and ears said the wind, and a dude dressed quite a bit like a monkey, crouched there in front of us. Large ass dagger in hand, gloved fists surrounded with power, I really thought I was looking at a Daimon dude as a Digimon.

Luna's eyes went wide from behind me. "Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me. Him?"

I glanced at her. "You know him?" Granted, Luna was about as open as about her past as a college textbook was for me in general so I should not have been surprised.

"He's one of the Olympus Twelve, like me," she explained, glaring daggers at the monkey man. "Like I am. He's a walking symbol of the Zodiac, what the fuck is he doing here..." She leaped up and for the second time in my life with her, I felt my Soul pulse, spiraling around her to make a woman who had traded hands for scythes. Not that that wasn't cool but what was she _doing_?

"Mercerymon!" She yelled up at him. She was tall, but she wasn't that tall. "Herjin, what the hell is going on here?"

He twitched and turned around. He lifted his dagger and I tensed up. Then it lowered, his golden eyes narrowing at the sight of her. "Artemis… what are you doing here?"

Sukekiyo looked at me and I shrugged. Luna had gone by Luna ever since I had called her that for the first time. She hated her other name, so I didn't use it.

Luna didn't really react, lifting her head to glower at him. "Buddy, you're asking _me_ this. I have a job to do. I can be here. You're the one getting chased by Union Tamers for suspicious dealings with Kowloon Company."

He grunted at her, still not relaxing. Smart 'mon. "Well… it's complicated. I do more than keep the Digital World safe."

"Yes you hack it and run the world like it's your own personal Olympus special, I know." Her voice was Login Mountain and I remembered in that instant she was the source of my sarcasm. "Spill and we'll be less likely to get their commander down here to practice interrogation. I heard tell that she doesn't bore easily.'

The three of us winced in unison. "Did she just threaten this guy with Julia's weapons cabinet?" Kakumi whispered in my ear. I nodded. She paled. "Your partner's crazy."

"Which one?" I deadpanned, shivering at the idea.

Herjin scoffed. "You work for Union? _You?_ " He looked ready to laugh. "Of course. Have to stay on the beaten path."

Luna shrugged. "I have to stay with what matters to me. Now, _spill_."

He took a step back. "Afraid I can't. Respect to the client."

"Fuck that." She raised her hands.

I groaned as softly as possible. Were we about to have some Olympians square off? I was not prepared for this.


	22. Something About Denmark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for sensory overload, f-bomb.

I couldn't even get an attempt at peacekeeping out before Luna flung herself forward. Arrows of ice formed and scattered in the air, flying about like hailstones. Mercurymon – Herjin – ducked and weaved to the side. It was a miracle that I could actually see him do it. Bastard was probably holding back.

That would have made me see red if I even wanted to be here. As it was I just wanted to curl in the sand and go to sleep. This probably wouldn't help me find Yuki. But it was too late now. I made a face. "Doru, go and help."

Doru nodded, though she was looking at me with those big sad eyes that promised cuddles and face-licking when we got home. She was such a sweetheart. Between her and Roni, I wasn't sure if I would have a face left.

I tried to grin at my superiors. (Man that's a weird word to say.) My mouth hurt in the process. "I'm gonna have to ask: can you fight?"

Sukekiyo laughed, sounding like a dying frog. "I doubt it. We used our last burst of energy trying to catch this numbskull."

I winced. Of course they had. This was an Ultimate, a real Ultimate, and supposedly an Olympus Twelve member. There was no way they could just keep up with him with some Perfect levels and hope. I guess that was gonna be my job.

Fuck me, seriously.

I raised my head to the fight again, yelping as Alec rolled me away from ice and wind. I shivered. Too much heat was annoying, but I _hate_ being cold.

"Man, Luna's _steaming_ ," Alec muttered from over my head. "Whatcha think, ma?"

I shrugged. "Luna's not good with people not listening when she says sit and stay?" The dragon cackled in my ear and I grinned at him a bit wider. This time, the expression made my mouth _really_ hurt. "C'mon lummox, offa me," I said, rolling away so I could wipe my lips. They came back red.

Well. That was weird. I usually took pretty damn good care of my teeth. I decided not to think about it. I shouted for Luna, but she ignored me. Not sure how, she had better hearing than any of my babies but Roni with the dinner bell.

This guy must really hurt. She wasn't gonna hear me. I knew what that was like.

I sighed as Doru appeared basically from god damn nowhere and blasted them both with a way too large sphere of metal. She may be able to evolve to Perfect, but that did not mean that she could aim, and had basically gotten them both right in the sides. Ouch. She dropped back down and I glanced at Sukekiyo, who was covering Kakumi with his recently healed back. Someone get those two a closet already.

"Go!" I was surprised I actually managed to shout. "Report to Julia! Get outta here, ya deadweights!"

Kakumi scowled and practically hefted Sukekiyo's freshly wounded body over her shoulder and bolted up to the gate left by the automatic system. _Good to know Koh was good for something._ Neither of them above noticed. I shouted again but instead of an answer, my body thrummed with purple power. I grimaced. Painful. Looking at my hands, I saw the steady glow of Soul over my palms. What. Luna. Again?

I was really going to have to talk to her about this. I mean, it wasn't impossible for Digimon to borrow power from their humans, but dragging it out like this was a possible death sentence _for me_. And I couldn't have that.

I raised my voice skyward. _"Luna!"_

The light of evolution swamped around her and I shouted her name once more. She ignored me.

I think it was the first time she had actually ignored me and wasn't joking. This wasn't just holding a grudge anymore, was it?

Something lashed out, something etheral, flying wide, and it cut right into my arm. I grimaced, covering it with my hand, sticky red that was _already closing what the fuck am I?_

My chest started to hurt from lack of air and my vision was blurring. I dimly registered my legs wobbling in the sand. I coughed and pinched my nose for lack of any better ideas. The world began to spin and I shut my eyes to it. I don't think I felt my legs give way, but they must have, because I woke up some time later to the cloudy jungle sky and Luna's big blue eyes full of worry and guilt. Just like when we met, just like-

_The day they took off the muzzle thing, the day someone came to visit who she couldn't picture, the rabbit had hopped into the window and just looked at me like I was someone else. Slapped my hands for picking at scabs, held my hand with stubby fingers and squeezed it when the chief walked in and looked at me like we should know each other, like her swagger was a front and she wanted me to know it. She even let Yuki hug her like a stuffed toy._

_Those same eyes never showed themselves after I was let out. They were all tough and steel and sharp and I wished for the soft ones a lot._

"Luna?" I croaked. Ow. My throat felt like salty cotton was stuffed in it. She nodded at me and touched my face with her claws. "Don't be all gentle, you're gonna get soft."

"Aw, shut it," she muttered, but there was an odd color to her fur.

"My apologies." The boom of the voice made my head twang. I cursed and Luna glared up at whoever it was. I did not want to turn my head and find out.

"Herjin, you _ass_ , talk more quietly."

There was silence for a moment, and I got the feeling 'Herjin' – oh right that was the Mercurymon from Kowloon, somehow that seemed less important than it needed to be – was trying to bore holes into Luna's skull. Of course, it went ignored.

"Sympathy's not your strong suit, huh hacker guy," I managed, feeling Alec's currently ham hands wrap around me and lift me up. Gotta love being roughly the size of a twelve-year-old. And having enough Soul to keep these guys going while unconscious.

"I can be." Thank whatever the religious deity of the day was, he had quieted down a little. "I do apologize. It seems I can still rub salt into wounds without thinking about it."

"I noticed," I muttered, making myself sit up a little. The headache and dizziness was starting to go. "Mister, uh, Herjin, was it?"

"Yes." He knelt ever so slightly to see me.

Huh, he was a lot more formal without Luna pushing her buttons. Or maybe he was guilty. Go figure. I managed to reach and pat one of her giant ears.

"Did you have to make something for a little girl, about my waist high?" I licked my lips, trying not to hope too much. "White hair, watery eyes, wearing a pastelish version of my uniform."

Alec snorted. I'm shit at names or descriptions. So sue me. At least I didn't name any of them Billy. They'd deserve it if I did.

The amber-yellow eyes watched me thoughtfully for a few moments. I swayed a bit and Alec adjusted his hold to put me down. I leaned on him, staring right back at the large guy who had driven my Luna to forget everything important for a few minutes. Did he expect me to look away? It didn't matter how tired I was; you never stopped paying attention to an opponent, even when you were unable to actually see them.

"You remind me of someone," he finally said. My chest fluttered and I hated it. "There was a girl I met in the past, with purple hair much like yours, and the same look in her eyes. Defiant, determined. You aren't cowed by me." He looked at me even more. "You're just tired. So was she." The chest fluttering came again when he didn't give a name and this time I had no idea why it happened. He straightened up. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I did not. I only made a program for SkullBaluchimon. He would have been the one to have seen her."

My hope flickered, but it did not die out. It narrowed the location down. She was still in Sunshine.

"Thanks," I said. "And sorry, for Luna."

What hurt me was that I meant it.

He knew it. I know he smiled this time. "Don't be," he said, ignoring the bunny's hiss like I did. "She has always been rather... high strung.."

Sounded like something I knew very well.

* * *

"For the last time, Roni I'm fine stop _licking_ -"

Due to the fact that Roni was a dog-bunny, or a bunny dog, whichever, he had a tendency to lick my face and nuzzle it when he got worried about me. I guess cause I was laying in bed he should worry. The problem was that I couldn't pull out much Soul and was kinda tired. Nothing permanent.

Also Luna was staying in the Digivice and she never did that. I figured it was her big guilt complex over stuff I didn't know and didn't want to push her to tell me. It wasn't like she asked me what was wrong with me unless I was sick and stuff.

To be fair, unlike me, she probably knew.

I hate having no memories, but I wasn't sure I'd be much good with them, to be honest. I mean, people repressed bad shit for a reason right? Right?

I paused in my attempts to drag Roni off of my head by his ears. He could cling. Durante had made it over at this point. Taking pity on me, the Renamon lifted him off, ignoring his grumbling protests. He looked down at me. "Mother?"

I nodded at him, looking around my bedside. My eyes paused on the drawer of my desk and I rolled over, hopping to open it. I could feel Durante's eyes on me, head cocked. I felt through the papers and files until my fingers closed over plastic pages. I carefully pulled it out, reading the cover. Then I giggled a little.

"Mother?" Durante repeated, nervous now. I giggled again. I turned to the two of them and held up the book.

"They're my baby pictures," I told him, still laughing. "Mom, she… she was always leery of digital pictures and printed them all for ages. Yuki's in here. My… my brother's in here." I sobered. I didn't even remember having him around. I wonder if I would feel much of anything looking at him. I swallowed the nauseous lump in my throat and opened the book.

That guy Herjin was right. I was tired. Maybe seeing all of this would help me wake up some more.


	23. With Flowers In Her Hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for implied past racism and wedlock. Also the effects of depression.

"Dory, get off of my bed."

Granted, for once I was in the kitchen and fiddling with the oven timer so it wasn't really a big deal, but still. I always knew when she came in here. Force of habit. She also unintentionally made a lot of noise. I checked the oven one more time – ruining oven roasted chicken was a little too easy – and went out to greet her. Or something, anyway.

Of course, she hadn't gotten off my bed. Brat. Instead she had Roni in her lap and was scratching his oversized ears. He of course was very happy about this. Traitor.

"Aren't you supposed to be at Julia's for the weekend?" I asked, putting a bowl of pretzels nearby before Dory could sneak out whatever snack she planned to shove in Roni's face. The fact that he hadn't been suspicious of her after the balut worried me. Probably was the ear scratches. I hope it was the ear scratches.

Dorothy nibbled at one, keeping it as far from Roni's scrabbling paws as possible. She was way too smart for him sometimes. Then, she shook her head at me, a deep frown on her face. "She's been going and in and out lately. Been all tired and not eating much. I figure she's worrying about dad." She shrugged, pretending the mention of the chief of Light Fang didn't make her twitch with discomfort. "She doesn't like when I'm at her house by myself. Not after the last break, you know?"

Yeah, the break which ended with us deciding friendship was a better way to go. Granted, we were fifteen, but still. There's no age limit on that stuff. But yeah, I remembered the last time she'd been left in her aunt's house basically alone.

Wasn't that the last time a letter had returned from her uncle, unopened? Yeah, probably was. Which, knowing her, she was thinking about that too. She hadn't sent any since.

With a familiarity I should have lost, I sat next to her on the bed and leaned against her shoulder. One of my ears was on the timer, so don't pretend I'm suddenly completely sympathetic. Dorothy didn't expect that much of me anyway. Not anymore.

"I hear she's talking with your uncle though," Dory finally said after a moment or two, her head on mine. I had to jerk away at that. She grinned. "Yeah, I know it's him. I smelled the incense he sends you once a year in the house once. I think he's courting her."

I wrinkled my nose and jumped to check on the chicken. "Don't joke like that, please seriously, don't joke about that. My boss and my uncle, ewww."

"My aunt and your uncle," she called back, now back to scratching Roni's ears. I only shuddered more.

"No, no, that is just weird." I paused to think about it. "Well, okay, it's not that weird." I opened the oven and stuck the meat thermometer in. "Well, it's weird to think of uncle dating and weird to think of Julia having a life but..." I sighed, reaching for that good person dad and uncle always said I was. "They might need this. So I guess I can't get too weirded out."

"I'll do it for you then?" Her offer was met with a flick of chicken fat towards her nose. She squeaked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Sayo~"

I waved lazily at her, removing the thermometer and pushing the bird back in for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, I checked the slow cooker. She frowned at me.

"Storage again?"

I shook my head. "I'm probably going to have to take care of Yuki when I find her. She can't go back to the residential side while she's on trial and everything. I'm just getting ready. Stock's easy, freezing trays for meals and things is too. And dad might come so..." Not to mention I had just been hungry lately. Hell, I normally go through a full chicken in a week and a half, not half a week. I don't like this. I know I still have a bit of regular old puberty to go, but yeesh.

She grinned. "Look at you, being all prepared."

I shoved her to the side. "Go check on the rice."

She saluted at me. I glared at her back, not really meaning it but enjoying it anyway.

If there was one thing that being in CITY had taught me, it was to be flexible, at least in body. I could back flip, dodge roll, spin, and cling to ceilings with the best of them. Thank god, because fucking Parasimon.

Speaking of, dodge roll. I rolled to the side, letting the tentacle things wrap around a metal fist. Gao slammed his hand into the ground of the arena, hearing the Parasimon squeal. Worth it. I hopped up and backflipped again. Gymnastics is a lie that is not easy.

"Anything on Light Fang?" I managed to ask, Sasha blocking my sight on my tester, Kaori. The girl frowned at me under the brim of her cap, but shrugged. Yeah, I had the right to be worried. Just because you didn't know why didn't mean anything. I straightened and wished Luna was here.

But no. I had left her behind for this. She had wanted to stay behind. Was it about Palette Amazon? It wasn't like she had the training to control Soul and evolution like I did. It wasn't completely her fault I passed out. That probably meant there was something wrong with me. But we had limited resources until Center Bridge and everything was fixed up and all of this was solved. I could just wait until we could get Dad up here. I tilted my head to the right, just as a disc of light went dangerously close to my ear. I flipped Moon-Milleniummon the bird. Jerk. I swore he was laughing.

"Sasha!" I shouted. "Wanna cut him in two?"

"Realistically, that's not possible," she told me.

I shrugged. "You wanna try it anyway?"

She stared at me, or she would have if she wasn't batting off the advances of a Vademon (what was Kaori's deal with this team? Tentacle monsters and souls… there was hopefully nothing to that). Then she sighed. "Fine."

Oh, don't be so put out." I put my hand to the port on my Digivice and she stalked forward, turning into the great, hulking Knightmon I knew she appreciated being deep down. She swung her gold and silver sword and Vademon retreated, face to face with Doru's Metal Meteor to the face. Granted, it wouldn't do that much damage, but a heavy blow to the face hurt. She had come so far in so few months.

"Haven't heard anything," I finally heard. Kaori had her arms crossed, and I could barely see her lips move. It must be through the communicator on my Digivice. "The chief's been quiet too. Glare's communicator's been dead since CITY's hacking." Well no shit. "The closest thing is the murmurs every time a Light Fang tries to get in here while a Night Claw's been around. I'm usually in the back, but the test monitors here have to break up a fight every time. You came at a good hour. It's been pretty nasty."

No wonder Dory stayed at my house so long.

"By the way..." I saw her smirk and ducked from another flying disc. "Can we talk about this some other time? When I'm not kicking your ass?"

I tried not to smirk. "Fine." I tapped Gao on the shoulder and despite his rolling eyes he picked me up. She wanted to kick my butt, I'd break her jaw. Seemed fair, right?

Still wish she had something more than 'gang wars part two'. The original heirs weren't around to pacify the bloodhounds.

"Get that thing away from me!"

News flash, I fucking hate needles. Of course seeing a syringe usually gets me to move back. Usually, I don't nearly kick the woman's hand off. Thank everything Annie was in the room, so I didn't have to fear the doctor glaring at me for my bronze skin as well as my damn awful respect for the Hippocratic Oath. She'd probably leave and mutter something about that. Helen was weird.

Thankfully, Annie understood and went over, talking her down, then talking me down. I was too busy shaking to actually understand any of it, but she had gotten that 'everything is okay' tone into an art form. She squeezed my hand hard enough to hurt and my swearing distracted me from the syringe drawing blood.

"You should have come in when you were first having problems." Helen's voice was scolding as well as annoyed. Did all actual doctors sound like that? I had no idea.

I shrugged after she pulled the needle away (don't look at it, don't puke, don't-). "I didn't think it was a big deal."

"She rarely does," Annie supplied as she took the bandage. "How long to you think the tests will take, Helen?"

"A couple of weeks. It has to go to residential." She had a look on her face that was probably homesickness. I had no idea. It was just the seventh variation of her frown.

Before I could actually figure it out though, Dory slammed the door open. Helen muttered something about awful gang-child manners and Annie's hands twitched. Dorothy marched toward me and whispered in my ear.

"Julie's gone."

And just like that, I forgot all about the needles.


	24. Ghosts Are A Mind Trick

I'm not supposed to tell anyone. The fuck. Our leader is missing and I'm supposed to keep _mum_? Are you fucking serious right now? Damn it Raigo. See if you get anything that's not coal for Christmas.

Well, okay, he had to get something. Now that I had actually _met_ his family.

But anyway, not important right now, stupid brain. Julia was missing, MIA, could have turned turncoat (why would she, anyway?) and no one could know? That… actually made some sense because CITY was known for its inability to handle a crisis without authority over it. I have the scars to prove it. Still, how were we going to look for her if nobody knew?

See, I can ask smart questions too! Sometimes.

Raigo gave me another gentle shoulder thump. (For some reason, he has never hit me on the head. Then again, he remembered the past a hell of a lot better than I did.) "C'mon, Sayo. I'm only telling you because I know Dorothy can't keep her mouth shut with you and because you're the only one in shape to go hunt her down right now."

I crossed my arms. The Union Room was surprisingly quiet right now. The scientists had their earpieces in so for all I knew they weren't paying attention. They probably were though. This concerned them. This concerned us all.

I don't have much from between the time I was thrown up here and when I turned thirteen. At least the first three years are vague because I was too young to keep any memories. But my body can remember. It remembers mama's -mom's- temper, remembers one day p-dad being so sick he couldn't hold me and stand up. I think I was five. It was before CITY's tech got into him at any rate.

It may sound like pure horseshit, but I know if Julia and Glare and their friends and whoever else hadn't been there to do what they had to do, he wouldn't have gotten that treatment. They know this place, residental and soldier, better than anyone alive. With Light Fang clearly having lost their minds, we are, with no exaggeration, all the civilians have.

And our pillar is gone. We're fucked if we don't find her soon. We all know it.

"How long has she been gone?" I said instead of this because I don't have to. I may rib Julia to no end and try her patience, but she is the reason I am still in CITY, why so many kids are still in CITY and not somewhere we don't know being poked and prodded and cut open. There were others, and I can't remember them, but we owe her, we saw what she did. And it cost her.

Raigo was with me. He knows that as well as I do, like Dorothy. Like Pulsa. Like Litton. Like Barone. So if I have to shut my mouth and get on with shit to save her or whatever, then I will. He regards me over his now chipped and scratched lenses. "According to Impmon, three days. But considering she's been spying on Glare on and off for at least a month, that's fishy at best. According to Dory, the leftovers for breakfast have long since expired."

I swore. Profusely.

Raigo's expression was grim. "Can you access her home, Sayo?"

I think about it. "Probably. I have the temporary pass." At least, that was with the hope and consideration that I only used it to make sure Dorothy wasn't alone in there for very long. Nothing else. Ew. Like we'd ever have done that in her house. Duke could have seen it. "It might be expired though." I toss him my Digivice and he, like every other competent asshole who can use the things, unlocks it and cycles through my pass data. He throws it back to me.

"Get a better password." Beat. "And switch shoes. You're going to Thriller Ruins."

Again. I swore. Profusely.

He snorted. "Get going. You kiss your dad with that mouth."

"And he appreciates every hug that comes with it," I deadpanned. Then I paused in mid turn. "Is anyone else looking?'

"Spike," Raigo said and I whistle. Man, why am I here? Spike is a bloodhound on a good day. Granted, he's more paranoid than I am but still. It's probably because I know her. And Thriller Ruins.

Damn it. I still had to go there.

So long as the big scary 'final battle' happens somewhere else, I'm fine. That would be irony. Or something.

* * *

I touch down at home. I rest my eyes for a moment, trying to regain my balance and keep my breakfast in my stomach. When I think I can walk, I move towards the water. The tiniest babies are playing in the sand, watched by Phascomon's half-lidded eyes. One opens fully at the sight of me but quickly closed with a lack of concern. I nodded at him. Then I frowned, a sound reaching my ears all the way from the bathroom. I sighed.

Shit. "Roni!" I shouted. What had the living garbage disposal eaten now? Oh he was so grounded.

"Dorothy gave him _balut_." Durante's voice filtered from my bed, full of both amusement and exasperation. "I told him what it was. He's been in there ever since."

I wracked my brain to remember what _balut_ even was. I wrinkled my nose. Whatever it was, it had to be gross. And Dory would give it to my bunny-dog, wouldn't she? "Remind me to kill her when she gets back and we get her aunt back."

Alec hopped over the fence. "She's actually done a bunk?" His legs dangled over the fence, dripping water. Clearly his attempts at flying were _not_ going too great. Still, at least he was coherent enough to listen. "And here I thought she needed to be dragged from her desk, let alone home."

I flicked a piece of candy at him, causing him to whine and fall back into the water. Not that he was wrong but still. I looked about the room, combing my fingers through my hair.

"Yeah, she's been gone a while, by her standards. So we're being sent to Thriller Ruins to look for clues." There are varying groans. Even Doru and Guile, who have never been there, are groaning. They know what it entails: dark, holy, machine, and pain in the ass.

One voice is conspicuously absent though. Luna is sitting on my bed above where Durante's furry head is. She has one of my pillows in her small arms. One of the fluffy ones. Can't I like fluffy? I watch her eyes. She's determined not to look at me. I frowned and moved over, climbing up beside her. She still doesn't look.

I tried to smile. Of course. She felt bad. She was the reason, or at least, a reason, I had passed out. I hadn't been ready for her to evolve to Ultimate like that. I probably had the power to do it at this point, or it wouldn't have happened at all. Still. It was the second time this had happened.

I reached over and rubbed her ear. Like always, it was cool to my touch, barely even fur. She stiffened, but didn't pull away, like I thought she would have. Instead she smiled a little.

"You want me to come?" Her voice was small, but it had the familiar edge of a scared little kid, so much like mine.

"Course." I tried to sound like it was easy to say, like her question hadn't made me nearly sick inside with guilt. "Who else will kick ass and take names for me?"

"Someone with more sense and ability, probably." She made to reach for the Digivice and then pulled away. There was guilt all over her. I could practically smell it.

No, actually, I _could smell it._

I moved away, making her start. I didn't pay attention, running to my desk. I dove to the bottom drawer, past the photo albums to a set of lilac pages bound with blue ribbon. I broke the lock, didn't read the title. My head was starting to pound too much too loud-

_If you play your cards right, they'll use less needles. Sure, you'll have to fight more, but the needles are worse. Who knows what they do to us with the needles in us?_

_Some of them smell really happy. You want to keep them that way, or it gets worse for the person after you. Sometimes there's guilt, this sour apple smell that hurts my nose like cigarette soot like pride. I cry a lot even though I know I have to stop. I miss them, I miss them I miss them-_

_When am I gonna go home?_

And just like the thoughts had pulled me down, I'm back up, knife in hand, slender and smooth and pointed close to between my ribs. Half of my Digimon are close enough to snatch it. The rest are backed away or can't see.

Luna is just saying, unable to say anything at all.

I swallow and put it down slowly, resting it back on the kitchen counter.

"Turn around," I said, going for my clean clothes. "I have to get ready."

Everyone says Dorothy shouldn't be left alone at home. It's more like I shouldn't be.


	25. No Reflections

I knew Luna was feeling better because she was taking great pains to try and hit Alec over the head with her ears. Or maybe it was less 'feeling better' and more of 'feeling too worried about _me_ to mire in self-pity'. Either works at this point. Didn't make _my_ guilt complex go away but anything helped the mission, I guess.

I landed onto old brick and the smell of ivy and rot. Thriller Ruins was either humid or chilly, and tended to rain every other day or so. Of all the places in Folder, this one was one of the weirdest. The only weirder one I had heard of was Transfield and people didn't just go there. You got invited. Maybe. By who I couldn't tell you. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a peppermint. I didn't like them much but they were good for getting rid of the nausea of using a teleporter.

Once I could breathe in the humid air and not double over, I stepped forward. Julia wouldn't be here at the outskirts. Not if she'd been gone for as long as she had. I had to make my way into the mansion, where the little ones hid that didn't fight or the baddest of the bad. I'd been there once. It was kinda fun, looking back.

Guile marched beside me, red dragon wing ears twitching with his nose. I scratched him on the scales. Normally, I would have Doru out too, but she didn't like this area very much. Though neither did Alec. That was probably because they were inclined towards having super holy powers.

Gotta wonder why I'm in Night Claw sometimes.

My Digivice beeped and I paused, ducking into a ruined alcove. Guile remained outside, shooting small fireballs at passing Kokuwamon. Brat. This didn't help anyone like us.

"Yeah Raigo?" My voice was low, but he was close enough to the speaker that it was probably irrelevant. "Did you forget something?"

"A bit. We've been digging around for how we got the signal in Thriller Ruins."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, she has a Digivice."

Raigo shook his head. "That wouldn't necessarily mean we'd get a signal from her especially if she's gone missing, you know that."

I blushed, olive cheeks turning slightly bronze in the reflection on my screen. He was right: I probably should have thought of that. "Then why did you send me out here? Do you actually get off on sending me into deadly situations?"

"Because if it is a deadly situation, I trust you'll be boneheaded enough to find your way out." The connection shut off as abruptly as it had opened.

I scowled at the screen. "Well screw you too, man." I pushed off the wall and kept walking.

Within fifteen minutes, I was running. Lightning was crashing overhead with the thunder and my ears rang like the school bells on cartoons. It was hard to move like that but putting Guile back in the Digivice made it easier. Of course this was Luna's perfect opportunity to evolve a bit, pick me up under an arm (at least it wasn't a bridal carry, I don't think I could ever live that down.) and bolting in the direction of the mansion. I would yell at her about her constant unconscious use of my DigiSoul later. It wasn't like it wasn't a good exercise.

The weird thing about Thriller Ruins is that it was a bitch to actually _see_ the mansion. It would come and goBecause the Digital World is the Digital World, and Folder is a continent that might as well be acid the landmass so I mean, what else could you expect? A disappearing mansion was pretty normal.

"Luna, for fuck's sake!" I shouted through the downpour. "Where are you going?!"

"To the mansion!" she shouted back, spitting water.

"I'm gonna get sick! Just find the portal!" Because every house everywhere required fucking teleportation pads. Seriously, that's a design flaw if I've ever seen one. I sneezed. I am _so_ gonna get sick.

"The portal will be gone by the time I get there!" She made a face at me. "Just, like, make the rain into an umbrella or something!"

I would have raised my eyebrow if I could have. "I can't control water, you dunce!"

"Sure you can, I've seen you do it! Humans have superpowers come on!"

Now is really not the fucking time, and I really had no idea what she was talking about.

* * *

Ten minutes and multiple scrunching up of my clothes later proved that I cannot control water. Smooth, Luna. At least we got to the god damn mansion.

I squeezed my hat out again, curling around a fire Guile had made and bundled up in an outfit I left in the Digivice ages ago. It was a little big on me, but I'd probably lost some weight during the last three months of panic and fear. Or whatever it was at this point. Oh well, at least it was dry and clean. Gao paced about nearby, sniffing around with his ears up. Then he snuggled up next to me, making me jump. It was a good thing we were in one of the abandoned rooms, or half the area would have heard me yelp.

"Gao!" I hissed. "You're heavy."

He made a huff of irritation. "I'm warmer than that fire," he declared, moving further onto my lap. This gave me no choice but to hold him. Have you ever tried to shove a dog off? It doesn't work like that.I gave up and settled around him. Dozy dog.

Well, he was warm. I would give him that. I wrapped my arms around him, and his curly tail wagged at

I shut my eyes to listen to the outside. A Digimon was meant to be an extension of a Tamer, a former trainee once said to me. That didn't mean anything if you tuned the world out in the process. Hence why that was a former trainee.

I listened and tilted my head to the left, then the right. I'm not an owl, that doesn't really help, but it does keep away from having a crick in my neck. There was a shuffling noise by the door. Guile jumped up, growling at the door. Gao tensed, but he didn't leave. The door creaked open, revealing a purple and white face, then another, then another, until there were like: five of the little, purple things. Tsukaimon. Not uncommon, especially not this deep into the area.

"Hello," I said, voice low. I was trying to go into this assuming that they were intelligent and not like the random Kokuwamon that wandered around and zapped people for fun. "You wanna crash here?"

Staring. They don't know how to blink. Or maybe that do and I don't want to. I'm not sure. One of them eventually nodded. They slipped inside and shut the creaking door behind them. I didn't question them. Outside, the wind howled and wailed against the windows, rain pattering a steady staccato. I didn't even hear the Tsukaimon settle before my eyes began to droop.

* * *

The rain had stopped.

Its silence had woken me like an alarm. I sat up a bit, Gao slipping off. He snored lightly in his sleep. I felt a weary smile touch my face and scratched his ears. His tail wagged, even in his sleep.

Why do you all love me so much? I don't understand.

I slipped away from him and went to change. I shivered. My hair was still a little damp. I'd just have to ignore it, focus on finding the chief and maybe she'll have clues on the Light Fang. And a towel.

I paused as I snapped the button on my skirt. Why was it so… quiet? My skin felt clammy, gooseflesh rising up on my arms, as I noticed the silence just grow louder and louder. I cast my eyes about the room. The Tsukaimon were in a pleasantly sleeping pile, Guile was dozing with his tail in the ashes of the fire Gao was where I had left him.

Where was Luna?

My limbs felt heavy again. I tugged for my Soul, and it responded, slow wisps of purple. It was smaller than it had been when I got here, so either I was getting a cold or someone was using it. Considering Luna's track record… fuck me.

I really need to talk to her about this. Maybe she's not doing it on purpose? Maybe we're just that close? I wasn't sure. I didn't like it, whatever it was. It really wore me out.

" _It's only because I love you, you know that Sayo."_

I grabbed my hat and put my boots on. Don't think, don't feel too much just move forward and focus on what's forward, what matters, not yourself. Alec's soft intake of breath from inside my Digivice made me nod as I stepped forward, pushing the detrimental (hey I can use big words!) out of my mind.

That's right. I just had to focus on my mission.

I left the room and heard a loud thump and scream. It was a loud scream. Loud and pitched and _pissed._

Damn it Luna. Why did she have to always do this stuff?

I took off running, crashing through a door. (Looking back I should not have been able to shatter the door no matter how old it was.) I skidded to a halt to find Luna, scythe up and drawn towards a familiar fossil dragon. Behind her was another little group of Tsukaimon. Her red eyes were narrowed.

I stiffened. Skull Baluchimon. Fuck me again.

"You really don't think I'm gonna just hurt those little guys, do ya?" he said with a grimace. "That's bad for business."

"Not on purpose," she countered. "What do you think we're standing in, a skyscraper?"

"Just let 'em go. I just want to talk to your kiddo, that's all." He sounded almost… annoyed. "Come on, you have to admit, it's kinda weird for you to be here all by yourself. Mercurymon said once you found someone you'd never let go."

I ignored the _thud_ in my chest.

"I'm just training out here." She harrumphed, looking as regal as only a Crescemon could. "Whatever Herjin's said, he knows I hate to lose."

SkullBaluchimon laughed. "Yeah! He was joking about that for ages. You really did a number on his ego too!"

"Good." She was smirking under her mouth guard, I could tell.

The dino paused and scowled, jumping closer. The little critters eeped in fear. "You're distracting me! Come on, where's your Tamer? We need to have a talk!"

"About…?" she adjusted her grip on her scythe.

"Her _bullshit_ , that's what!" He moved closer again, raising a giant claw and I felt my body move. I was freezing cold again, but it didn't matter, because I was also up in the air and kicking his claw as hard as I could with both of my booted feet. He yelped in indignation and I managed to smile. Luna caught me as I dropped.

"Dumbass," she told me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Says you," I said. "Go on." My last order was directed at the tiny, trembling Digimon, who bolted from the direction I had come from. "Who knew you could be such a softie?"

Luna turned up her nose. "I have a Core somewhere in my chest."

I was just going to pretend I understood that turn of phrase and turned to SkullBaluchimon, who was shaking his paw. I could not have hit him that hard. "So, dog treat," I said, trying to sound as cocky as possible. I could only hope all the damn noise would wake my pair of idiots up. "Any reason why you're looking for me?"

The dinosaur almost sat back on his haunches. Almost. That would be just weird. "Well," he said, giving me a look of… was that fondness? Did he _like_ me? Ewwwww! Fucking gross. "You keep getting in the way of Kowloon business. First me, then Mercurymon. You know that's a bit of a pain in the ass for people as good as us at doing our jobs."

Kowloon… Oh right, the Merchants of Death or whatever. That was why they had sounded so familiar when it came to D-Words and stuff.

"Well," I said, trying to play it like I didn't know I was totally fucked over. "when you're making dangerous deals with who was probably my _missing baby sister_ , I suppose I'm going to be sticking my nice nose where it doesn't belong."

"Your what?"

"Sister," deadpanned a low voice and I swore _again._ Couldn't I catch a break. Just once? "A sibling. Like Artemis has a twin."

SkullBaluchimon huffed. "I knew what that was."

Mercurymon snorted as he strolled up behind me, casual as could be. "This is why we send WaruSeadramon to these things instead of you."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?!"

I looked around for a portal because getting the fuck out of here sounded really great. Of course, the ground started shaking so that idea went quickly out the window. I tensed up and something formed only feet away. Well, I should be more specific. It was a god damn samurai warrior the size of a giant. It would take three of me to even get close to his waist height.

And the power. Hoo shit. It made my knees tremble. Then it was an Ultimate level, like Luna at her best, like Mercurymon. Fuck me.

"So," he said softly. "This is that Tamer."

Luna tensed up beside me, eyes wide. I felt my hair dripping again, which was a weird thing to notice. Then again, it might have been sweat.

"Yo, Gaiomon," Mercurymon said, the laziness dripping from his voice, mixed with the fondness. "We cornered her. Took a bit though."

Well that confirmed all of my bad thoughts.

Gaiomon's cat red eyes narrowed as he looked down at me. "It's very rude to steal our merchandise and get in our way like you have been." He raised one of his swords. "And that needs to stop today."

I was stuck there for a moment. There were loads of smart remarks I could have made and ruined the moment. But all I could do was silently raise my fists in preparation. Cause if I was going to go down in any sense of the word, I was gonna go down kicking as much ass as I could.

Then another voice (How many people were crashing this party?) echoed across the mansion. "As if you can stop Sayo."

I turned my head. It wasn't Julia, or Raigo. It wasn't even Yuki.

It was Koh.


	26. The Stars in the Sky

Koh, like the first time I met him, strutted his way down the room. Perhaps it was because he looked supremely at ease on paper, but I thought he looked a little green at the edges. Then again I've spent the past few weeks feeling green through the body so maybe I was feeling sympathy. Though why I would do that for that asshole I have no idea.

SkullBaluchimon groaned. "Oh no, there's another one." He turned on Koh, which the guy didn't even flinch about. I'm not sure if I should be grateful or concerned.

"Is he your friend, Tamer?" Gaiomon's voice was thoughtful and quiet.

I scowled, watching him raise his blade. "He wishes." I placed the port of the Digivice against my palm. "Alec, realize!"

For a minute, I thought that was a mistake. My Soul burst out of me, and while it didn't hurt quite as muchas it had with Luna, it still hurt. And when the light faded away, I saw why. A gold and silver dragon floated in front of me, armored hands clenched into fists. His gauntlets glittered in the strike of lightning on the other side of the windows.

Alec was out and he was not a happy boy. Why were all my kids homicidal?

Gaiomon didn't even seem concerned, however. "A freshling."

Alec snorted. "I don't need to be experienced to save my ma from your ugly mug." He spread his arms and I ducked from the spew of flames. Gaiomon cut them apart and lunged forward. Luna met him with scythe in hand. I bit the bullet and evolved her too, leaning against the wall to breathe. I had to be getting sick.

"Hey Mercurymon, get off your ass and help me!" SkullBaluchimon was stomping on the ruined carpet, dodging a large man's nimble punches by the decomposed skin he probably had once upon a time. "This kid's annoying."

"Great," Mercurymon drawled and moved to join him. "Two peas in a pod." He still moved to help however, leaving a fight between the two of us. Gaiomon swung again and Alec blocked it with both hands. He pushed it back and flew us away. I shot him a look.

"Really?

If armored dragons could blush, Alec would be a tomato. "Well, Luna did it."

"And Luna almost killed me," I said to him.

Alec would have sweatdropped if he could. "Oh… yeah." He set me down in front of the doorway where the little Tsukaimon were hiding. "Just uh… stay here okay, ma?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever." I winked at him. He turned and flew away. He was so grounded when we got back. On the upside, Guile and Gao were awake. I was grounding them too. I waved my hand so they would stay out of the way and protect the little Tsukai dorps who hadn't realized that outside was safer in the long run.

The air shuddered again and my heart plummeted in my ears and into my stomach. There was a distinct, soft whining, like the sound of faulty machinery. I made to turn and see, but I must have tripped, because I ended up sprawled on my back as fiery light flew over my head. It cut through the space where my stomach had been leaving dancing light particles in its wake.

For a moment, I was afraid.

Then I was hopping up again, on all fours and taking off running. I dove behind crumbled walls, ignored the yelling and screaming. One of the voices was probably Koh's but I had to ignore him. So long as I kept moving, his attacks would either be erratic or unable to charge. That was a drawback of special techniques the higher you got. You had to balance out the power to fight and the power to contain. Julia had showed us first hand. It was one of the only times I had seen Duke attack anything moving that she had approved of that hadn't deserved it. With the words exactly in that order trust me.

Never want to see it again, for the record.

Gaioumon didn't seem too concerned. Then again, I wouldn't either, with his power level. Still.

Alec raised one clawed hand. He had lost the anger and sharpness that always got in the way as a kid. He looked calm, intent. He was perfectly sure he could and would conquer Gaioumon with sheer tenacity And eating my Soul like crackers probably wouldn't hurt. His outstretched palm caught Gaioumon by the wrist and he pushed the other away, looking a little too chill about the whole thing. He was mine… right?

Luna, no longer covering the babies, was surrounded in chilly looking water. It was her, I figured it was freezing. Her body was aglow with it even. She charged, raising her scythe. She sliced against one of his blades and spun with it, cutting into his armor with the other side of the weapon. He hissed, the first chink in metaphorical armor.

I frowned to myself. Was this supposed to be him killing me or killing my will to fight? He'd have better luck with the first one. Mom made me too stupid to not rebel. I bent at the knees, then tucked and rolled forward. Not quite like an armadillo but I was agile enough that I could move at the very least. He made to slice down and Alec's wrist caught him. I heard him _push_ and smelled blood before I heard Alec start to scream.

I moved before Luna could start a dance that could hit all three of us at the same time. I wrapped Soul around my ankles and hands and flipped up, kicking him in the chin. By the time I managed to get to him anyway. He's big, guys. And I'm the size of an anteater. My whole body shook a I fell, leaving Alec to catch me.

"Ma," he started to whine, fingers glowing red. I grinned.

"You guys can't have all of the fun."

Gaioumon shook his head and I felt a pleasant rush of triumph. He hesitated then lowered one of his swords. "You're a stubborn little thing, aren't you?"

I nodded as Alec released a red dragon to lunge forward. Gaioumon almost intercepted, and grunted at the pain. "Course. You're trying to kill me."

Gaioumon laughed. I really don't understand why evil weirdos find me funny. I just don't. "And a powerful little thing."

"I'm short, I _get it._ " My ears are red. Could people stop talking about it already? Luna snorted.

Gaioumon lowered both blades. Then he seemed to smile behind his helmet. "You are almost worthy of respect human, even if your obstinacy causes us trouble." He takes a step back. "Very well. Your determination is worthy of keeping your life… for today."

He vanished in particles of blue, leaving me staring after him.

"I get the feeling I was just insulted," I said to myself before turning to help Koh. As much as I didn't want to, I didn't want to have to explain in my report that I let the currently most sane looking guy in the area get killed from his own stupidity.

Mercurymon made a tsking noise. "How inconvenient," he mused under his breath. "I thought I would get to enjoy Artemis spitting fire at someone else other than me."

"You're the best target practice," she said with a sneer, raising Her weapon.

I tried very hard not to roll my eyes. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty."

Mercurymon laughed, actually laughed, and vanished.

SkullBaluchimon looked around, swore, and was gone himself. Koh fell backwards onto his butt, which would have been funny about two months earlier in my life and wiped sweat from his brow.

"Thanks," he said.

I didn't reach out my hand, and he stood up on his own. He looked away from me. I just watched him. His head sure looked cooler. If only I felt the same. I had this horrible urge to smash him into the floor and other awful things that made my skin crawl. I wiped my mouth.

"Sure," I finally said. I had to look away.

We were silent, even as Gao chased the Tsukaimon away. Finally, Koh let out a heavy exhale.

"I'm sorry."

I shifted. It wasn't the first time I had heard those words. From Dad or Yuki, and from some… some others who were just blurs in my head sometimes in my head from a gentle voice and with a hand on mine but that was only recently. I hadn't ever heard it from a stranger with such solemnity before.

"I said some awful shit," he continued. "And you didn't deserve to hear it. And, well… I saw her. In CITY. Your sister."

My confusion morphed into anxiety at the drop of rain. "You saw her?!"

Koh looked up, almost eager. "Yeah." Eager for approval, didn't that sound familiar? "She looked a little funny. But the last time I was in CITY was so long ago, so back then everyone looked kinda funny." He paused again, seeming to be gathering his words. "Is your Chief acting all weird too?"

It was my turn to hesitate. "She's missing Koh."

For a few moments, we were both silent. Then a very soft, very fervent 'fuck me' slipped from Koh's lips, and I started laughing until all I could do was wheeze.

I dunno why. It was just kind of funny to me.


	27. The Woman in the Hourglass

When I could finally remember how to breathe without guffawing like some mix of a cat and a hyena (I probably sounded like something normal but remember, fuck self-esteem), I looked at Koh with as much dignity as I could muster. Admittedly, that wasn't much. I looked over at Koh. Koh was fidgeting in his spot. A part of me was proud of that. The rest of me ignored it a bit, despite the rumble of irritation with myself in my belly.

"So. You actually saw her." I decided to venture into unknown territory. Because why not, at this point?

Koh looked up a little too quickly, with a little too much hope. "Yup," he said, bobbing his head. He was clutching his digivice a little close, now that I was looking. Was something in there that he was afraid to drop? Was something going to break that I don't know about? Was I close enough that I could ask him?

Probably not. We weren't really friends. We were just now touching past 'not enemies'.

"She was pretty well assimilated," he continued causing me to look at him in the face again. I still don't like doing that. "No one really commented on a sudden new girl with white hair and too big clothes poking her nose in. Except me, but again."

"Not Litton?" I frowned. It hadn't been that long since I had seen her and she had still seemed kind of sane. As sane as she ever was.

Koh frowned. "Honestly, I haven't seen her in weeks. Isn't she supposed to be taking all of her vacation at once?"

Oh, right. Litton's habit of overworking herself has a legend surrounding it at this point. I guess if I got her paycheck I would do the same thing.

"She probably is," I said. That was something at the very least. "But still no one's said anything, not even your chief."

"No." There was something in that now, something in how he looked away. "Glare… I haven't seen him a while to take on a Union Quest. He's been pretty out of it though, the last time I saw him. He was pretty quiet."

I sighed. Well, so much for that. I wandered about the field, picking up three red boxes of data. These would help with the repairs on Darkmoon, but we were mostly set. And… well. Much as I wanted to tell Sunshine to fuck itself, there was going to be an after of this mess. And whatever that after might be, we needed to have all of DigitalCITY intact. Or at least repairable.

So long as they couldn't get to our side, we were good right? Right?

I walked over to Koh, causing him to freeze up like a poised cat. I swore his hair got fluffier in the process. I dropped the data packages in front of him. "You need them more than I do."

He stared at me. I scowled. I can be nice sometimes! Kind of. Would he just calm down?

Or at least stop staring at me. I don't like it much.

…

Raigo had circles under his eyes.

It was the first thing I noticed when I got in the room and saw him. To be honest, I probably noticed earlier. I just didn't want to think about it. Raigo had had insomnia for years. I remembered it because he would sneak into my hospital room. He would talk for hours. Talked himself to sleep. Cried in his sleep. He helped me some of those nights. But most of the time, he said I helped him. I still don't know why. I never said anything.

That must have counted for something. I kept my mouth shut on his exhaustion in any case and made my report instead. I had retrieved a mole, at least if I was lucky and Koh was as smart as Dorothy claimed he was. Otherwise, well, I could call him, find him, and kill him. Good to have my to do list in order.

"So definitely no sign of Julia?" I nodded in reply and he grimaced. "Fuck."

Amen to that. "And there's nothing from the Tamer Home." I wanted to pace but Raigo was doing it instead.

"Dorothy can't even get _in_ anymore." Raigo clicked his tongue in that way that used to get Litton to tease him. "Impmon said the security's been without its warden too long."

Well shit.

"What do you want me to do?" I pretended like I didn't want to start screaming. Did you know Digisoul mutation showed up in hair? And our chief has the ability to control people and most Digimon with a command? Like, literally? I did not want that power in the hands of the fuck-me-light and its puppet monster.

"Wait and watch." I opened my mouth to protest and he shot me down with a stare. "I am not having my current best soldier-"

"I am _not_ your fucking best," I said, aghast. "Do I look _sane_ to you?" Yes because I couldn't just take a compliment like anyone else. I have to complain about it. Besides it can't be true. Barone has her head on her shoulders much better than I do and from what I heard has been taking the mission boards by storm.

Raigo rolled his eyes at me. "You have a track record of coming back with results that mean progress. That's good enough for me at this stage and we need all of the results we can get, all right?"

I sighed. "All righty, fair enough, I guess." Well, really, it wasn't, but what did I know about the meaning of fair? I gave him one last salute, then turned to go home.

Raigo called out my name and I paused. "...Good work," he said. "Boss would be right proud of us, doncha think?"

I blinked in confusion. "Who are you talking about?"

Another pause, this one from him. "Don't worry about it," he finally said. "Get some rest and let me know if Koh contacts you, all right?"

I nodded, raising an eyebrow, before finally doing as I had been intending to do for half an hour. I disappeared through the portal, proud that I managed to not want to swallow and upchuck a lemon within seconds of doing it. I made my way home.

I barely managed to get off the portal before I was lifted literally off of my feet and spinning in the air. I yelped and made to break from their grip before catching a glimpse of dark skin and stray Dorumon furs.

"Uncle?!" What was Uncle Shinta doing in my- oh right he did have my access code. I forgot I gave him one of those.

He pulled me away to smile. "Hello, darling niece. How have you been?"

I managed to laugh. "Long story."

And I wasn't joking either. By the time I was done, we were sitting on my bed. He had leaned me into the crook of his arm. And if it hadn't been a good few years since we had seen each other and he wasn't my mom's brother I wouldn't let him do this. I wouldn't let him near me. But Dad trusts him with my life and his own. That would be good enough I guess.

He hugged me real close. It kind of helped, but mostly?

It just made me miss dad.

Uncle probably noticed because he got me a cup of tea and brushed my hair with his fingers. I didn't hear my Digivice ring for a few hours. When I did, I swore.

More missing Tamers. Fuck my luck.


	28. Where Do We Go From Here?

"This is her, huh?"

Okay, for the record, I know I'm supposed to be hunting down missing Tamers until I drop but I'm apparently one of the only Tamers on standby in the area so I needed to stay at home in case fuck-me-light dropped in again. Comforting. Good to know I was so damn competent they needed me to sleep. Well, at least i got to spend lots of time with my uncle.

I leaned over Uncle Shinta's arm, which was just over my head. How was it that in my family that I had none of the height? Even Yuki was going to have a growth spurt, I bet you.

" _It seems as though we made a mistake with you. The piper did have to be paid for progress, I suppose."_

"Yep, that's the chief." I smiled the memories away, something I think I've only ever done with one person that isn't family. "You've seen her before. You helped with CITY regulating and stuff with Mom and Dad, didn't you?"

Shinta chuckled a little. "Yes, but she was so much _younger_ when I saw her. You were an infant at the time, you and your brother both. She was barely not a teenager." He laughed again. "Of course, I wasn't much better."

I smiled tightly. Things always got awkward when we even referenced the existence of Nao Pryderi, of his lost wife. Though I guess if the person I loved was in an accident and disappeared while pregnant I wouldn't exactly enjoy bringing up the past either. "I didn't think you were that into younger women, Uncle," I joked instead, though it was probably flat. I don't know how to tell jokes.

He still smiled at me for the effort though. "I wonder… I do approve of a woman with a good head on her shoulders." Uncle took the picture from me with care, tracing Julia's hands resting on Dory's shoulders. "And I suppose she does qualify."

I did not even want to think about that. "I guess." I fiddled with my Digivice and that was when it vibrated off of my fingers. Raigo's face popped on screen as it landed on the bed.

"Sayo, are you-oh." He stopped and scratched his head. "Sorry, interrupting." He looked like he was about to end the call until my uncle smiled and waved at him.

"It has been a while. How are your siblings?"

Raigo relaxed, if minutely, and I pouted up at the older man. How come _he_ knew Raigo had younger siblings and I didn't? Not cool! "They're doing all right, my brother is training for his entry exams again, but well..."

"Those are unfortunately the breaks," Shinta agreed. He shifted and I idly scratched his knee. He snorted at me. "To be a Tamer of any sort is not an easy job. It's a miracle all of you were accelerated so early."

"More like divine interference," Raigo muttered. "But you didn't hear that from me." He straightened. "Anyway, Sayo, when you've got a free minute, the others are back from their searches. I'm sure it's a whole lot of horse crap, but if you can get any clues from them at all and send it to me, I would appreciate it."

I blinked dumbly but nodded. "Yeah, sure."

He cut the connection after a couple more minutes of small talk and Uncle Shinta grinned at me. "And you're not even a gold tamer yet," he teased.

I huffed, blushing lightly. "I'm just tough, that's all."

"Yes, yes, you are the toughest cinnamon roll ever made," he said, mussing up my hair. "You break teeth with a single bite."

"And don't you forget it." I crossed my arms. Then I uncrossed them and called Dorothy. "Hey, Dory," I said as soon as her tired, grinning face appeared on screen. "You got the others with you?"

"Yep! Newton needs a shower!"

Newton's screaming of irritation went briefly ignored as I winced. Did not want to think about that. "Well, you guys go take a shower and then come over to my place. I have to get a report or something from you guys apparently. And well..."

"Yeah the mood down here is piss awful," Newton's muffled voice went through Dorothy's head. "You sure your house is clean enough?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I keep my house clean, unlike you. There are kids in here."

"Hiiiiiii," came Roni's voice from the kitchen. I shouldn't be surprised. Where else would he be?

"Also, I would have had her cleaning right now," Shinta offered. The group clustered around Dorothy's screen waved at my uncle. He waved back. I swear to god, my family knows everyone.

"Anyway." I scowled at them. "Clean up and get over here okay? We gotta figure out what to do next so Raigo can crash really hard."

There were murmurs of assent and the call dropped. So did my shoulders.

* * *

By the time they had arrived, I had managed to wrangle Roni out of the food cabinets, with the help of Danger Fluff, my uncle's partner, and his very useful tail. Of course, now Roni was stuck to the bathroom ceiling but we can't have everything.

Dorothy and Kakumi sat on my bed like they belonged. Newton was stealing my Uncle's cookies. Judging by the way Danger's claws gleamed in the light, I got the feeling he was next. Oh well.

I sat in my computer chair. I don't think I looked that imperious. Everyone was quiet anyway. Even Spike, and I know he could kick my ass twenty ways to Sunday. "So… nada?"

"Not a lick," Sukekiyo agreed with a sigh. "I'll give the chief credit: she sure knows how not to be found. You'd think with Duke around, we'd have just followed the craters and scorch marks."

We kids paused to shake our heads but Shinta frowned. "How childish of him."

"Pretty much," Spike agreed with a wry grin. "It's why he's one of our commanders."

Uncle was still frowning but I sighed. "And she wasn't at Thriller… and Ponch and the others are gone." I paused, tapping my foot. "Are there any areas we haven't checked or anything?"

"Limit Valley," Newton supplied. "Though that place shouldn't even exist apparently so no idea there. Most of our Digivices block it now, fir safety reasons. Transfield, but we haven't been able to get to Transfield for like: years now..."

My head hurt at the name. Uncle's face twisted. I love how no one told him to leave the room.

"Proxy Island," Kakumi added. "But we need to be at least Gold Rank to be allowed there, ever since that one time we sent rookies in and the water drove them all crazy." And drove them all dead. I was pretty sure one of Helen's kids had been there. Poor woman.

"Magnet Mine and that volcano place too," I counted off. I looked at Luna. Magnet Mine was where I had been dragged to the hospital from. Luna stared owlishly back at me. "Okay so we have some places but we can't go to them and why would she go there or how would the others go to them anyway?"

"She's been pretty out of it," Dorothy offered. "She's been sleeping more but still tired and everything. Maybe she just took a vacation and forgot to leave the email..." Her voice dropped. Not even she could believe that one.

I watched her. Her skirt was frayed and ripped. She hadn't even bothered to change before she had showed up here. I felt my uncle staring at her and gave him a gentle elbow to the ribs. He didn't really like Dorothy much. Our relationship had been… messy to say the least, so I guess I couldn't blame him. Still, she was my friend even now. I had to do something.

"Sayo?" Spike's thoughtful, respectful voice directed at me, making me blink. I never thought I would be in this position ever in life. "What about Koh? You have his number now, right?"

The air in the room went thick.

"Those guys tried to _kill us_ , Spike," Sukekiyo pointed out when he got words back. "He kicked _her_ around last I heard. We can't _call_ them. For all we know they'll come into Darkmoon and bang. That'll be it. They're just like us, after all. We would do it."

Spike looked at him and Sukekiyo didn't quail, not even for the experience and confidence that had just always radiated from Spike.

I saw Sukekiyo's point, though, we all did. They had attacked all of the available agents, calling us the horrible things we all heard from propaganda down below, that _they_ had heard. And we were supposed to be the same, in the same boat, doing the same things. We were only split by affinity to corral us and teach us without overwhelming the teachers. There wasn't supposed to be this divide to begin with.

Uncle's hand stilled in my hair as I said, very quietly. "He apologized." At everyone's eyes, I cleared my throat. "Koh apologized, I mean. And he gave me basic intel on Sunshine. It's bad there and he knows it. And…" I swallowed. "He said Yuki's there."

"How do you know he's not lying?" Sukekiyo challenged.

I stared at him. "I don't _care_ if he's lying. I'll find out, I'll smell it. And even if he is, this is my best shot." Shinta's hands went tense around the comb in my hair and I tried to smile. "Besides, this is my house so I'm pretty sure that if he tries anything my kids will smell it and _eat_ him."

"Not if I don't do it first," Shinta muttered. I pretended that wasn't embarrassing and focused on sending the message.

It took barely two minutes before he replied. 'Yeah, sure, I can find a way in.'

I typed back an assent and nodded at them. "He's on his way."

"Wonderful," Newton grumbled. "Guy got me right in the groin in the jungle."

"You don't really need it for that much," Dorothy informed him.

I muffled a snort. Shinta gently tugged my ear.

There was a slow patter of footsteps and Phascomon chirped overhead. "Sayo, Koh is requesting to come in."

My kids shifted on their feet. I guess they had assumed I wasn't serious. Assume nothing.

Koh appeared to a lot of people staring at him. He managed a nervous smile. "Hello. Thanks for calling."


	29. Kids on the Ice!

"I think we should get more than a _thanks_."

Ah Newton, better friend than a kick in the nuts. He had his arms crossed and looked like he was prepared to uncross them and come out with a knife in his hand. Thanks guys, can totally protect myself here. Like Uncle Shinta couldn't leap over me and pummel the guy with two fingers anyway.

I flicked my eyes over to the water, noticing the tips of Alec's blue head poking out from the sea. I glared at him, and Luna from her perch. They were not going to help anything, much as their protectiveness _now_ was cute. Could have been great earlier when Guile was getting his tail pummeled in the jungle.

But we couldn't focus on that now. I nodded at Koh before he could speak, or give Newton more ammunition. "Hey," I said, acting like this wasn't the most awkward thing ever. "You hear anything new?"

Koh's shoulders slumped a little. Not even in that, 'oh thank god, I'm not dead' kind of way (most people here didn't actually do that) but more in that 'why am I so fucking useless' way which I knew pretty damn well. "No. I don't need to. No one talks anymore." He paused, as if trying to explain himself. "Sunshine's basically a ghost town. Even the quest givers aren't saying much anymore. I've ended up having to check the boards."

Every Union Tamer in the room grimaced at the same time and I turned to explain it to my uncle. We hated the quest boards. They, despite being a part of the system that took in quests to begin with, were the most unorganized set of files since the first boot of iTunes. It was even more tedious because they sorted by date of quest entered, which was great until you realized CITY goes on a semi-Earth based calendar (in terms of a certain birthstone) but the Digital World doesn't run on the same timeline. So quests could be _years_ old on that thing from their perspective, even if we'd just gotten in two days ago. The only exception was Union Quests, and half the time, that board never turned on because you had to see the Union staff in person.

So, yeah, him having to skim those boards _may_ have gotten him some sympathy points from at least the older kids.

"And?" Dorothy's voice piped up from the other side of the room. "Anything?"

Koh tapped the hand on his wrist, gripping for something that wasn't there. Probably a watch. "Not until I snuck in and got the Union Quest board up and running."

I heard Newton's jaw drop, possibly with respect. He was the only other guy I knew who could easily handle CITY technology, probably because his family was one of the only ones who willingly went up here rather than being dragged up.

Koh blinked. "It's not that hard. It's the maintenance that's such a pain with the bits CITY gets for upkeep." He paused and turned pink. "Sorry. Anyway, I went and started backtracking through the dates. All of the recent quests have been to Limit Valley-"

"We know that," Sukekiyo deadpanned and Kakumi stuck him in the ribs.

"And Access Glacier," Koh continued like there hadn't been any interruption.

Everyone stopped at that. I swore. I had forgotten about that freezing hellhole.

Koh nodded, looking a bit like that swaggering idiot I had met at the Coliseum. Not by much though. "Yeah, a lot of missions have gone there. I have been busy with a lot of stuff. The last time I was up at Access though..." A strange, _painful_ look crossed his face and then faded. I almost thought that in my social ineptitude I had just imagined it. "I caught a glimpse. The place is still standing so that's the only place they might be that's not Limit."

We were all very quiet. I was thinking of being covered in snow-

_In another time, another place, covered in slow and frozen up to my brain and smiling at a person I knew by smell, dying as I looked at him, dying but being happy for some reason-_

Then Dorothy, being Dorothy, said very quietly. "Are they even still _alive?"_

No one answered that, and I shuddered a little before I could stop myself. Sure, Digivices could insulate us for a set period of time, but that wasn't forever, and in an arctic mimicking zone that was even less time. They could be dead. Hypothermia was a shitty way to go.

"Well," I finally said, and Uncle's arms tightened around me. "Guess I gotta go and see if they aren't."

Newton made a noise of distaste. "You hate the cold, Sayo. That's why your Tamer Home is a _tropical_ _island_."

I scowled. "Well we can't send you, asshole. You all just got back and someone needs to tell Raigo we've got something and I sure as hell ain't gonna do it. Besides, he'll think I'm lying for a desperate chance to get my sister. So, ya'll go talk to him." I made to leave my Uncle's arms, who gripped me all the tighter. I grinned up into his face. "Relax," I told him. "I'll be fine."

Shinta nodded but his face said he disagreed. He'd rather me not go, never go out in danger again. This was my job, and even if it wasn't I'd go. He loosened his grip on me and I smiled again.

It was nice to have someone worry about me this much and not have it feel weird. Or be my directly related family.

Koh moved hesitantly closer to me. I blinked and he held out his Digivice. "I have to give you the protocol to enter Access," he said with a sheepish grin. "It's usually sent out once you get Gold Rank in Sunshine."

Oh this _fucker._

I smirked at him, all teeth. "If that's your idea of a challenge, you've got something to look forward to."

That little shit actually blushed.

My Digivice beeped with the data and I took it carefully. I didn't need this like Newton and his 'upgrades' again. ADR protocol confirmed. Sweet. "I… I'll go on ahead." I swear his face was still red when he turned and left. Dorothy giggled at me. Well, I guess having no idea what that was about was worth it if it made her laugh a bit. We needed something good in all of this crap.

* * *

I touched the icy ground and at the second I felt my foot slide, caught it with Soul. With a grimace, I pushed more of it outside of myself. I guess being a walking beacon was a worth it price to pay for not freezing to death or giving myself another concussion. Besides, I had three dragons on me, and one of them had fur. Said Doru was rubbing against me to keep warm. I wasn't sure if that was helping but I figured I couldn't protest. Alec was complaining up a storm.

Luna, however, was darting ahead, skating and sliding like she would have hatched in here instead of Magnet Mine, where tiny moondrops were always at more often than not.

"One would think you were in a good mood," I muttered under my breath.

She heard me, of course, and shot me a pout. I shrugged and let her go. It wasn't like she and the others didn't need something good to happen to them, at least. So we kept walking.

Guile, a little too eager, ran ahead of me at the sight of an Ikkakumon, rushing it with his now giant metal armored arms and slicing. I almost winced.

"Little too excited, isn't he?" Sasha's voice filtered from my Digivice, where she, Alec, and Gao waited. Alec hated the cold. Hopefully I would be able to just let him chill for a while.

… I think there was humor in that thought somewhere. I think? I have no idea.

I kept watching, stopping Guile to let Doru have her chance in the murder game. Protocol said to kill any hostiles, and Folder loved to be covered in hostiles, especially ones of the Adult and Perfect level.

Probably.

Case in point, one jumped me from behind. I wheeled around and kicked an Ikkakumon in the nose. It squealed, louder than the all-too-satisfying and yet _disturbing_ crack where my boot connected with the furry face. I rounded on it, hearing Luna soaring down behind me in an attempt to finish the job. It scrambled backwards, raising its paws.

"Wait! Wait, hold on!"

I paused. Well, this went against the rules… I think. Then again, most Digimon on Folder didn't talk. They didn't like humans. Or at least Tamers. Light Fang gave lots of reports on that. Maybe we were civilizing things… and I was getting distracted again, god damn it. "Why?" I said abruptly.

It huffed at me, the sound awkward through a bleeding nose. "Because that _hurt_ , you brat. That should not have hurt!"

"Union Tamer, hurting people and getting paid for it," I deadpanned. Then again, I didn't disagree with him. That was pretty weird. I mean, Dad was strong but… that was dad. Dads were probably uncommonly strong or something.

"Yeah, b-but-" It waved a giant arm at me. "They aren't supposed to do that by themselves. Their Digimon do that!"

My eye twitched. "Okay, look, dude, I feel you, you got your ass kicked by a tiny human in combat boots, it's demeaning, but I have to go and do a saving-people-thing so can you just leave me the fuck alone?"

The Ikkakumon raised itself up all of its very tall height and glared at me. "No."

I stared right back, not intimidated.

"I could roast him," Guile offered from where he was now over my head, chest lasers ready to fire.

I grimaced. "No." Then I turned sharply on my heel and kept walking.

"Where you goin'?" he yelped at me, ignoring the fact that Guile was perfectly ready to put two holes in him.

"To do my job," I replied. "Either come on or stay here with a broken nose. I ain't healing it until this is done."

Because I had other things to put my Soul into, like living.

I ignored the indignant hollering behind me, eyes sweeping the edges of the ice flows. Had to find a pipe. Macro Sea was just under here and even if it was as screwed up as Koh implied, the pipes still had to be working or this region wouldn't have been here.

I rubbed my head and kept looking. Maybe I should just let Guile do it. Was better than thinking about the fact that my feet didn't sting, even with Soul padding.

Better than thinking at all.


	30. Significant Lack of Dying Today

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for swearing, near-death experience, large hams, memory issues

Well. Holy shit.

Could Macro Sea even be _called that_ anymore?

It was like parts of it had been scraped out with claws roughly the size of Guile at Perfect level. The coral was rotting and white, wisps of it leaving the air. Worst of all, it was empty. Thankfully, the paths were still there, but the area around them was as dark as the pictures of trenches my dad had shown me when he had tried to remind me of what Earth looked like.

I'd been like: four when we'd left. It was a miracle I remembered that, before the amnesia.

I shook my head as I took careful steps on the ground. Luna swam up beside me and I reluctantly recalled Guile and Doru before they either sank from wet fur and machinery or couldn't actually attack. I really didn't want to know what lasers from a dragon's chest could do underwater. Or if it could do anything at all. I mean, in the Digital World, but still.

Alec flapped his great wings as he landed instead. Luna scoffed, landing like a ballerina. To be fair she did have waterproof fur. "Are you trying to fly?" I couldn't help but ask, once I had remembered how to get the DigiSoul to work properly and breathe.

He scowled at me. "No, Ma, just gettin' my balance. I'm not auntie craz and sass, I can't just do it, specially not in water."

"He says after intimidating guests from in the water," I deadpanned before turning to walk. I thought I heard someone in the tunnel after me but if they were coming they would have said something or made the thing explode by now. So I took off down the path. I wasn't even going to try and swim. To be honest, I don't think I could. We had a kinda sorta time limit as it was. So I ran because hey, fuck physics,

Also it was so I could avoid looking at the twisted grooves in the ground below, even in the flow of the water. It would make whirlpools where it shouldn't, and the Digimon who poked their heads in quickly swam away, or became skeletons right before my eyes.

Not a fun thought in the slightest, nope. Damn Digital World.

I hurried on as quickly as I could. It was best to look away from things you couldn't change, people said. I was pretty sure that would be true in my case.

_But you can change it, you can. You can do anything you want._

I stopped and nearly tripped. That… that was not my voice. My head throbbed.

_You can do anything you want to because I can. If I created you for that, then isn't anything possible?_

Laughter. Child's laughter. So sweet, so delighted and full of wonder.

Some of it was even mine, I think. For a moment, I could see the answer to so many questions, floating in the water. It was even close to my hands. For a moment, I could grab it and _tug_ , and then get the cement for all of the holes in my head-

Then Yuki's face flashed in front of me, bloodstained and growing cold. The chief's bedraggled expression of recent months followed, her hand on Yuki's shoulder like another scolding.

The crevasses, clawed and cruel, rose around me and the memory door shut like a steel trap.

No.

None of that was important. Not a single bit of my past could matter, not right now. People needed me, my sister needed me. No matter how much I wanted to know, if only to understand why everything kept hurting these days and why I had nightmares of shadows behind needles some nights, I couldn't. I needed to live in the present.

If I didn't, I had no idea if there would be a 'me' left anymore.

Adjusting my feet, I kept walking.

* * *

By the time I've pulled myself out of the watery pipe, I'm drenched and shivering with cold. Fucking hell, it was like Thriller Ruins all over again. I wiped my eyes in desperation to see. Damn salt water. I was already feeling cold and starting to sneeze. Guile burst out in an attempt to heat my clothes, which I glared at him for, because like _fuck_ that was gonna happen. I didn't trust him and his dark chest lasers. Alec had taught him how to aim. If it was anything like the idiot's flying practices, I was running the other way.

Also, and more importantly, Koh was standing fists up, Sol out (not his DigiSoul) in front a familiar former fuck-me-light.

I wish I could be surprised at this point. I really wish I could.

Behind said mechanical… whatever-the-fuck was Julia and all of the missing Tamers. With weird black hole things over their heads. Uh.

I want a raise, damn it.

I could hear Koh's indignant shout all the way over here. "Come on," he panted. "Let 'em go! You can't exactly control them if you're dead!"

There was a dull snort. "Of course I can," it sneered. "I have the power to."

There was something very childish about that statement that I couldn't put my finger on but whatever. Koh seemed to notice.

"Yeah, right, you ever had frostbite! You dragged them this far, give it up!"

Had to admit, if this was a shonen anime, Koh had the cheesy dialogue down _pat_. To be fair, so did the fuck-me-light, but I couldn't judge.

Grimmon or whatever also had the villain tropes too. "Is that right? Well, I can't get rid of them just yet, so I will just have to borrow you!"

For a moment, the air swam. Then I, without thinking, dropped to the ground, my Digimon following because they have sense. Koh wasn't so lucky and collapsed at the weight of what I realized now looked like miniature black holes. Or what we thought black holes looked like anyway.

When the earth stopped trembling, Koh and Sol weren't moving. Grimmon started to laugh. "Ah, much better! How is that, Yggdrasil!" He shouted to no one. "How is the attack I've improved? My destruction of time and space, stolen from the entelechia of your people? No one can withstand it now!"

"Yeah, all right buddy, enough with the large ham, there's plenty of bacon at home." I was up on my feet and striding forward. "Sorry, I withstood it," I deadpanned. Okay to be fair, I _ducked_ but still. Whatever!

He turned to look at me, smiling as much as a weird ass metal dragon could. "Ah… you resisted me at Limit Valley, didn't you?"

"Rebellious teenage phase, what can I say?" I shot back.

He snorted at me. "Is that so? Well allow me to put it to an end! Chrono Destruction!"A solid weight of black slammed into me and nearly managed to send me flying. Luna was able to move and stop that but it still hurt like a bitch. Again.

Over the ringing in my ears, I heard him laughing, howling to the heavens once more. And one word filtered into my brain through the pain.

_YMIR._

My head cleared. The pain lifted, replaced with a foreign sensation, like aloe vera rubbed all over peeling skin. I got to my feet again and he stared at me aghast.

"Why… how..." he sputtered.

I scowled. "Apparently I'm the Impossible Girl."

He glowered at me for a moment, excitement gone. He almost seemed to be pouting. "There wasn't enough energy," he muttered to himself. "Oh well, the Chrono Virus is spreading… there's no rush, I can change this later, I can move forward-"

"I don't care about your moving forward or whatever," I shouted. "Gimme back my sister, you mutilated trash-can!"

He only laughed at me and disappeared. I scowled and went to check on Koh. I shook him and he blinked bleary eyes. "Please tell me you kicked his ass," he croaked. I let out a snort and he groaned. "Damn it… Sayo, turn around."

I hate when people tell me to do something and it sounds like a horror movie voice. I turned to see Duke moving towards me, lance arm raised.

"All," he groaned. "All for YMIR."

The word made my head burn, scalp tingling and a sickening lurch went through my gut. I turned to face him. His pitch black eyes were glazed and he swiped.

Heads up, weapons users, don't swipe with a lance.

Luna was in the way with her axes just in time. She swung and he leaped away, running towards her again and blocking the arc with his shield. Alec was on the other side of him, using Holy power against the brunt of the cowl.

I managed to see Julia, slumped like an abandoned puppet, as I rolled to my feet. I caught myself and ran to leap on Alec's back, seeing as he could distance fight. Guile was settled in front of the other tamers. Defenseless as they were, someone had to keep an eye on them. And it kept his lasers mostly trained on one part of the fighting area. Koh was shaking Sol, who groaned in absolute agony. Boy, my team and I were lucky.

Guile raised his shield and Alec dropped away from the great laser beam.

On the upside, no Megidramon so far. Didn't need one of those to wreck the place.

"Alec, this isn't ballet, my head hurts," I managed as he danced to the side and fired another burst of holy energy from his mouth. He scoffed at me.

"Ma, he hits me, I'm probably dead. And so are you."

"I'll be fine, not sure about you."

Luna ducked between us again, slicing and dancing on the ice all over again. Man, if she ever gets sick of me, I'm just gonna leave her here. She's having a dream of a time. I coughed a little. Then again.

Duke was an Ultimate level. He noticed, even in a haze of loose attacks and noodle limbs, that I'm not giving them as much as I could be. Thankfully, as a Perfect, Luna can kind of keep him away from us as we wear at him.

Then he caught Alec with his mouth open and fired, hitting three of us at the same time. The dark energy was enough to send me flying off of Alec's back and into the water.

Can't swim, never learned. I kicked out in a panic, taking in too much water, too fast and I just kept falling. I reached for my Soul in desperation and it winked around me in the water but I couldn't concentrate. My vision started to fuzz, limbs falling.

Then a pair of hands at my back pushedgently. It was too slow and my body ached. I closed my eyes and-

Saw.

Mom.

Mom's hands helping me go back together, large and smooth and- gesturing towards Dad's lanky form, her tail just out of reach of my chubby fingers. My body lumbered and I fell but I'm not crying and even as my vision darkened again I remembered burnt crusts and sobs late at night and her begging me to live while I'm supposed to be sleeping and dad with a tiny fragmented shrine and _live-_

 _Live_ , the sea whispered. _Live,_ whispered the person pushing me up.

And suddenly my Soul _roared_ as I was pulled out of the water. I barely hacked out and threw up sea salt wetness before I was running forward, past my kids, past the puppets and towards the blurry form of Duke. My arm latched around one leg and instinct and Soul were pushing, pushing. I lifted him up, arms shaking and the word

_live!_

Told me what to do and I threw him over. Pain laced my shoulders and fingers and at the sound of the heavy thud and snarl of pain, I passed out.

Of course, when Koh woke me up later, I had no idea what he was talking about.

There was no way in hell I could suplex Duke.


	31. All the Single Ladies

Koh let out a gasp of breath from the ground next to me."You know, thanking me for saving you would be nice."

I coughed and rolled onto my stomach. "Lemme stay conscious first..."

Koh groaned and sat up again. "Yeah, sure whatever. Guess you earned it after suplexing the well-known asshole of the DigitalCITY area."

Was that why my arms hurt?

Like, ever have one of those moments where you did something, but you don't actually believe you did it? That was me, right now. There was no way in any circle of hell that I just suplexed a dark dragon knight. Except apparently I had. He had cracked the ice to prove it. _Shit._

I really was gonna have to talk to Uncle Shinta about this one. There was no way in any circle of hell that I could manage that one without breaking something. Except apparently my immune system.

He wasn't dead. He would be particles if he was dead. But he was groaning oddly. God damn it man. I sneezed and he made a grunt. Koh jumped. I would have too if I wasn't busy wiping snot onto my sleeve. My head was killing me.

Slowly, shield and lance shrank into silvery hands and Duke pushed himself off from the ground. Luna had one axe raised, just in case.

"Keep aiming that at me, bunny and you lose the arm," Duke grunted, voice thick with pain. Luna smirked but obediently lowered her weapon a millimeter. Alec and Guile hurried to surround him. "Sayo, call off your squad." He was using a 'I will murder you right here if you don't' voice that I was in too much pain to consider threatening.

"No, sir," I said with a groan. "Prove you aren't going to kill me."

Perhaps it was because we were all in a severe amount of pain or shock but Duke actually listened. "When you were ten, Julia and I had to restrain and muzzle you to get you out of Magnet Mine due to severe brain trauma." I made a face and waved my hand. My partners stepped back and Duke lurched to his feet, turning to Julia. He cracked the ground in his rush to get to her, making me topple backwards onto my ass, right after I managed to sit up. I groaned in pain, barely hearing him say her name. I could hear how frantic his voice was, though.

There was nothing and no one more important than Julia Drake to him. Not even pride.

Her own murmurs snapped me out of my daze. Her voice was hoarse from disuse (I'd been there) and she made another noise of what was probably agony. "Duke…?"

"I'm here," he told her. "We were infected with a virus. How do you feel?"

"Like Baihumon tried to use me to tap dance," she replied with a cough. There was a shuffle of clothing as she sat up. "We got a message from around here and it put me on edge and they sprung a trap when we arrived. I see..." She made a noise. "Status report."

"Alive," I croaked, letting out a sneeze from the cold.

I could almost see her nod as firmly as she could muster through my hair. "Good. Let's keep it that way, shall we?"

* * *

I managed to stay standing through the report even as Koh gave it, so I'd count that as a good sign. I wasn't exactly paying attention through most of it though. It was kind of hard when you felt like eighty percent of your body was in pain. Granted, my needs were probably only temporary but whatever. Still sucked.

Then I vaguely heard the word 'YMIR' and it was like the entire room had lost oxygen. I actually had to cough about five more times. Something twinged in the back of my head.

"What is it?" Koh asked quietly.

I heard Raigo and perked up a little. "The YMIR program is a slightly old program by CITY standards, initiated to limit the lifespan of Digimon and to increase the possibility of them evolving more like humans." Zanbamon scoffed but just hearing the name again made my head throb. Well, not just my head. My whole body felt this overwhelming twist of pain. For a moment, I could remember hands pushing me up from the freezing water into Koh's grip. I stumbled but they kept on talking, which was kinda good, I guess.

"It got shut down about five years ago, now," Julia continued. "There shouldn't be any vestiges left at this point in time. My sister tended to be very thorough on that sort of job. If she somehow missed something back then, then it has been lurking for quite a while." She sighed. 'That doesn't explain it gaining sentience, however."

"Someone's soul could have gotten displaced from the dimensional transporter," Koh offered. I could feel the room just stare at him and he shifted next to me. "Well, Digimon can well, they can die." There was something underneath that, I was sure of it but I couldn't hear well enough to care. "I remember on my way up here they were constantly worried it would lose its connection and leave us stranded between worlds. Has that actually happened?"

Silence.

"It has huh." Koh sounded, not disappointed, but resigned. "So it's possible."

"It has," Julia admitted, and I could see the twist of her mouth. "Very early on. As we improved the technology, it became less common and is now nearly impossible, but the ride in the Digital Sea has never been smooth under any circumstance without a traditional Digivice to ease the way, typically. At least until GateDisks… which I believe were _your_ invention, Koh."

The pain starting to recede, I managed to open my eyes and see the embarrassed look on Koh's face. "I… well, I was real lucky I found the materials I did to do that. It's much faster and safer to make it synthetically… but yeah. It's a good thing." He cleared his throat. "So, we're all back and Light Fang is still acting weird… ma'am, do you request I merely carry on as normal?"

I did not hear the rest of this, as my head had sincerely started to spin and there was nothing holding me up.

By the time I actually had any remote idea of consciousness I was laying in my bed, Luna's hands on my forehead. It was nice, but I still had no idea what I was doing here.

"You passed out, so I, erm, carried you back here," Koh said from where he was hovering by the foot of the bed. "I, uh, Chief Julia told me to ask if I could stay with you for a bit, until this shit dies down."

I felt all of my Digimon freeze up, waiting for my answer. I coughed. In my right mind I could have refused. But realistically, I know sending him back to Sunshine would probably not do his unstable mind any favors. I curled up back into my covers and replied. "So long as you don't got any wandering hands."

I could feel him blush. "N-Not a chance."

I grunted. "Good. Get Fuzzy to make you a bed."

Koh didn't even know who Fuzzy was but he was off to do it. Moments later I heard him shriek in alarm and then a very loud splash.

"You touch ma' and you'll be spittin' that gunk instead of it comin' out where it belongs!"

Damn it Alec.

"If I have to crawl out of bed and give him CPR, no one here is getting any pot roast when I'm better!" I managed to yell through my sore throat. Alec grumbled and then dragged him back to shore. I flopped back over. "Luna wake me when it's over or when I need a shower."

Luna grunted amusement and understanding. "Got it."

Of course, that wouldn't be nearly long enough for me. And I wasn't going to admit that I liked all of the noise either. That just wouldn't be good for my image.

"I don't even like her like that, you crocodile," I heard Koh shout irritably. "Leave me alone!"

"I don't trust anyone who hurts Ma like that!"

Well, I could do without that last part.


	32. The Golden Ensemble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for awkward teenagers being awkward.

Koh was, surprisingly, a very quiet houseguest. He was polite and well-behaved and he did his dishes before I could ask him to. Granted, I only knew this from the few times I was awake, after getting what probably amounted to pneumonia. Normally you go to the hospital over that but I have always been a stubborn pain in the ass so I just kept on sleeping. Also I think Uncle said his species wasn't supposed to get most human diseases. Guess that wasn't entirely true. Or pneumonia didn't count.

About three days in, Uncle Shinta came back. I'm still not sure where he was when he wasn't here, seeing as traveling between the residental and Union areas was probably still restricted due to all this crap going on. Then again, I guess if you assisted in giving a city-county a law system to live by and function with, you could freely ignore it. Lucky.

I knew it was him because of his larger hand, fingers stroking my sweaty hair, him murmuring and taking notes and talking gently to a probably hovering Koh. I never knew such a nerd could be such a hen. It would be cute if I wasn't hacking up half a lung when I was awake or asleep.

When I could stay awake and not feel like vomiting up my lungs, Uncle Shinta was still there, reading a book. "Morning," I managed, feeling my stomach growl.

"Afternoon," he corrected with a dry chuckle. "You've slept quite a bit, but your ever's broken. How are you?"

"I think I could eat a Greymon," I replied, rubbing my head. He offered me a glass of water instead. I took in and drained it in a few short gulps. Then I looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"Koh-kun went to get you your quest rewards," Shinta replied, moving to help me. I scowled playfully. I could probably walk, thank you. "And some groceries. He's a nice boy." The last part seemed like an afterthought but I knew better and offered him a playful scowl. "Your little ones are down below. Luna is keeping an eye on them."

"How is that _fine_?" I subsided and managed to sit back against the headboard. I could try walking later. "Do I still have some soup cans?"

"Already working on it," Shinta tilted his head, causing his hat to slip. "Don't worry child, your father trusts me to keep an eye on you."

My olive cheeks colored further. "I wasn't implying that he wouldn't, uncle."

"But you'll call me old* instead, I see." He chuckled and shoved my hat over my head. "I knew you loved me Sayo."

I pouted at him, which made my cheeks hurt a little. " _Uncle._ "

He touched my hair gently. "Okay, okay, I'll get your soup. Behave yourself."

I grabbed a pillow. "No promises." He ducked from the spare one I threw. I huffed and pretended to cross my arms in exasperation. Then I closed my eyes. As I laid back and tried to relax, I felt something tickle my left cheek. It was a bit of a warm breeze. I made to turn my head and as I did the pale green bed curtain I never used (because it was ugly and Dorothy got it for me) blurred away, replaced with solid white wall leading to a window and my hands chopping at a sink. Someone's voice filtered through my ears, scolding people for grabbing food before it was cooked.

I felt suddenly sick.

My vision sharpened again, to fluffy white pillows and a steadily running air conditioner, someone's pale hand connected to a tube-

Once more, a barely lit room with a blue monitor, worn fingers failing to reach the mug on the bedside table. The air is stale and dry, sheets are scratchy in need of washing-

Endless blackness with some occasional twinkling and someone is sobbing and trying to hide it-

And I was back in my bed, smelling sweetened tomatoes and herbs.

I swallowed and my throat ached all over again. "You snuck into my cabinets again," I accused and my voice didn't shake. I was so proud of myself.

He smiled a little. "Guilty as charged. Now, eat." It was like he had noticed, but nothing had happened. Surely, I was just imagining it.

I lifted the spoon and made to obey. As I looked at the spoon, I paused. "Uncle," I said, blowing on the soup. "You told me your species don't get colds."

" _Our_ species don't get colds," he corrected and I took a swallow. "Not usually, nor pneumonia, unless we're in the cold for long periods of time, which you were."

I would feel guilty if I didn't have a paycheck."

"At any rate, you should have been up by now…" He frowned. "Your sixteenth birthday is next month." I nodded. He shifted. "Ah, your next stage of puberty must be queueing up then." I frowned and he shrugged. "Remember, our kind go through multiple phases of puberty in their teens. You'll likely have one more at the age of nineteen, to settle. Your mother did."

"And then I'll live centuries in complete bafflement," I replied with another swallow.

Shinta chuckled. "It's not all bad. Now eat. Your friend is supposedly looking to get you registered for the Gold Exam. Something about a rematch? You need to eat."

Just for that, I lifted the bowl to my lips in preparation to slurp.

Shinta scowled. "Sayo, don't you dare."

I won.

* * *

I was better now, three days later. So I trained with the Digimon in every spare moment. Which was kinda rare, but in retrospect, my life would have been easier if I had brought the machete with me.

Then again, Uncle Shinta saw it and got me a collapsible quarterstaff instead. My uncle is weird guys. So I spent way too much time sparring with Luna, like right now.

I fell backwards right on my ass. Just so everyone knows, it's a bitch to fight an Ultimate level without any protection. It's a bitch to fight them period, let alone to evolve them. Hence why I've apparently done it already.

I shut my eyes and concentrated for a few seconds. Water, chillier than sweat, ran down my forehead. The second it touched the skin of my arm though, I opened my eyes and sighed.

"Again," Luna ordered and she lunged for me. Her normally irritable red eyes seemed almost completely relaxed now. I guess that would be what happened when she got to teach me to be awesome and not have to cover my ass on a regular basis. It's a concept, I know.

Not that I had any idea how training me to summon ice from the air was going to help but okay.

"Luna," I said dryly. "Just because my parents have their weird superpowers doesn't mean I'm going to have them."

She grunted and raised her scythe at me. "Well, you've gotten everything else. You might as well get ice along with it." She swung and I rolled, trying to remember the chill.

I, of course, failed. I mean, failure wasn't anything new at this point. At least my sweat was cooling down. She hit me hard with the butt of her scythe and sent me sprawling. I wheezed for air and muttered to myself. "So much for suplexing Duke."

"You _what_?" Shinta coughed and spat out his drink all over the side of the deck. He reached for a paper towel from Phascomon, who happily handed him three. Silly bear.

"She threw Duke over her shoulder for constantly trying to kill her," Koh reported as he walked back in, clean laundry in his arms. He set it down on the nearby shelf and paused, staring at where I was laying on my back on the floor. His face started to turn red. "...What are you doing?"

"Collapsing," I replied. "And also being too lazy to sit up."

Koh stared for a little while longer. "… Right. Got it." He picked up his own clothes and hurried away to go fold them, ears burning.

I stared. "The hell was that all about?"

Luna glanced over at me. "Your shirt's drenched and your skirt's falling down," she offered. "And your hat's on the other side of the beach. And your panties are wet from the beach water."

I blinked twice. Then I stared up at my uncle. "Did he just realize I'm a girl?"

Shinta wiped his mouth, trying not to start up a fit of laughter. "Sayo, I believe you may have just realized you're a girl with a boy in your home."

I stared. "So?"

Shinta sighed. "I keep forgetting Draven didn't have this conversation with you."

"He gave her the birds and the bees, if that helps," Phascomon offered.

My face flushed. "Phascomon!"

"Just tryin' to help!"

* * *

"So, kiddo, you ready?"

I attempted to scowl up at Wampy. He grinned. "I guess I can't call you a kiddo now," he teased. "You're starting to have a spurt."

I stuck out my tongue. "Why are you looking, your eyes shouldn't be wandering from the fight at all!" I mean, yeah I needed a new uniform and my clothes were slowly starting to give me that tight feeling they had when I was twelve but that was a height hormonal thing, not the rest of hormonal thing.

Wampy shrugged. "Well, you haven't sent your death bunny at me, so you know. I'm dropping my guard for the audience so I can crush you later."

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Way to reveal your big plan, buddy." I swear, did everyone have to notice puberty all over me? It's not a big deal guys. Seriously, it's really not. I mean, except for my uniform payments but well, Union uniforms were cheap anyway. Only Platinum Tamers got the good ones, for long missions. But I had to get gold before I could even think about things like that. I waved my Digivice and pulled my shrunken quarterstaff out from the pocket of my skirt and raised it. Luna, Alec, and Gao poked out. "You ready?"

Before he could answer, my vision sharpened to a classroom. I saw hands going up around me, the Digital board flickering with numbers and letters and code and then vanishing like air. I saw a mess in my notebook, barely formulated math answers cursed by a lack of sleep.

My vision flickered and I was looking at forms far beyond my brain power. A woman was laughing on the other side of the door. My eyes ached.

I was on the ground. On my knees even. I stared at an empty cocoon of power, at the cracks invading no matter what I do, no matter what I gave. Frustrating. It was hopeless like saving-

"Sayo!" I could see Wampy again, golden hat a glimmer in the spotlight. "You ready?"

Another one, like tv show level weird. I pushed it out of my head again. "Yeah," I said, saying a serenity I didn't fee. "Let's do this."

I snapped out of it entirely when Wampy pulled out his Fallen Lucemon. Come on man. Gimme a break.


	33. I Walk into the Valley of Death

"You know, you would be a lot happier if you got less injuries that needed me."

Helen's complaint was probably one she said to every patient, but I swore that to me it was meant to sound a lot worse than it did. Not so much out of malice (it had been that way like, a long time ago, but Helen had either mellowed out or done some soul searching or possibly remarried, and cooled down) but out of exasperation. We could replicate supplies, sure, but it took data. It took bits to get a replicator, bits most people simply couldn't spend when they could just grow things themselves. Not that the actual Tamer Union sections of CITY could really do that but…

Well, all I knew was that the original designers for CITY did not know what it was going to be at this point when they started out, and that no one knew what it could have been. Once they started turning the place into a penal colony for anywhere from tax evasion to child murder (and supposedly having Digimon period), idealism went out the window.

Thankfully, a lot of those people are dead and locked up now. The criminals I mean. I dunno shit about the people who built this place. Least they could have done was made a better transfer system. So people didn't die.

I finally looked over at Helen, Luna washing my wounds out for her in order to get us out faster. I hated the smell so much and it seemed worse today. It seemed heavier today. Or maybe it was just me. Maybe it was just my body being its now commonly shitty self. "I wouldn't be as much fun if I didn't," I said, trying to crack a joke.

She scoffed at me. "You're causing me overtime."

"Sorry."

"If only you were."

It'd be easier if she meant all of that to sound shitty, but she didn't. She just handed me the cleaned gold pin and went back to bandaging my head. "It's enough for you that you won, huh?"

Not really. That would never be enough. Winning a fight, I was starting to realize more and more, didn't mean anything, not if you couldn't do anything with that win, not if you couldn't fight with it. "I guess so," I said aloud instead. She snorted and pretended like I wasn't lying out of my ass. After a few more minutes of snipping and tying, she pulled back. "Thank your lucky fucking genetics kiddo and go home."

I nodded, limping out of the room. My legs would be feeling this one tomorrow. And it wasn't like I could help that. Luna helped me and Gao marched in front of my nose like the world's worst seeing eye dog.

"You look way too proud for almost losing me an eye, boy." I tried very hard to sound scolding

"But you _didn't_ ," he reminded me, and his curled tail wagged a little too fast at the thought of stopping it. And people said Digimon didn't act like their non-mythological counterparts. Gao was waiting for praise, to be called such a good boy. Not that he would admit it out loud like this but I knew. I created his blue butt. I always knew.

"That's right, I didn't," I told him, pretending smiling didn't hurt for real. "You did great, Gao."

I swear to god, I am so happy I don't feed these kiddos Fruit Loops. Gao's sheer happiness would have broken the fucking ceiling. I just grinned a little and kept heading on home. Guess the lack of depth perception was worth it on the next few quests I took, if only so I didn't feel bad hitting people with the quarterstaff.

* * *

"Fresh out."

I gave the poor fucking quest vendor the best one eyed glare I could. "You're shitting me."

"Wish I could." Lilymon, the completely unflappable woman she was, did not even squint. "We're fresh out. Even with the influx of requests from Sunshine's end, yeah they're not taking any quests anymore, with all these recently passed trainees, there's not even a lost cat in residental to worry about." She shook her head, petals shimmering in the light. "Go talk to Piemon, he might have something for you."

He'd better. I couldn't feed two humans and my Digimon death army on the regular weekly stipend.

Piemon of course heard me and nodded. "Yeah, Sayo, I've got one. Sure you want to try it looking like a cyclops?"

"Well, I deadpanned, scratching at the bandages over my eye. "I still look better than you." I leaned over the counter, watching his face. "What am I doing?"

"No idea but knowing your luck it's probably worse than the time someone tried to balance a bear on one paw while setting it on fire. Through a hoop."

I almost snorted. Almost. I just took the quest and left instead. Circus jokes man.

When I got to the Union Room, Raigo was running through data on a touch screen so fast I swear to got I couldn't see his irises anymore. Dude, get some sleep. He barely acknowledged me, and Zanbamon was too busy scanning the room for data dust mites. I saluted Chief Julia, proud to report that I didn't topple over in the process. Because that would be all the proof I needed to be kicked off. Talk about humiliating.

Julia saluted me back. Her hair was washed and the circles under her eyes were a lot lighter. Thank god. The break had helped one of us. "Good to see you back on your feet, soldier."

"Can't get rid of me that easily," I said, grinning.

Duke scoffed. "I can certainly try."

"Uncle and dad would take arms to that."

Duke's resulting scoff earned a worn smile from Julia. I wasn't even exaggerating either. "Have you seen Center Bridge as of yet?" I shook my head. "The repairs are going more slowly than we'd like. There's not enough data to stop the virus. Even the vaccines we've made are pushing the limits. Chrono Data is a much more dangerous thing than we thought it was."

I ignored the throb in my head at the words, the words I thought I should know, thought were close to my chest. "Yeah? What about it?"

Duke regarded me thoughtfully. "We need you to go to someone who can help. We need you to broker a deal with the Merchant of Death, GranDracmon, otherwise known as the leader of Kowloon Company."

What.

" _What?!"_ I wasn't sure who was louder, me or Alec.

GranDracmon is one dangerous son of a gun. Hell, even before knowing who he is in terms of black market, you don't cross a GranDracmon and expect to live. Those guys know how to wreck shit. Those guys know how to wreck me. There tended to be at most, two, on any plane of existence, one to monitor, one to conquer. They were like twins. Usually one would kill the other two. But hey it made sense if you wanted to rule the entirety of the Dark Area.

"You want me, a dumbass," I did not even care that I shouldn't swear in front of my boss. "To go up to the baddest broker in the land and ask him to help us fix Digital? After I beat up his staff?!"

Julia nodded, though her pale skin looked slightly green. "You are one of the only ones who could slam a GateDisk down in time fast enough. Not to mention you have an edge because they will know you. If we went, we are too high up on the Union ladder. He would attack us on sight. But a young tamer who could beat up his staff-"

"With sheer dumb luck," I noted.

"You might get respect."

I wanted to scowl, tell her no, maybe come back later when there was a mission that directly dealt with Sunshine. But I knew I couldn't. If we wanted CITY to get better, I had to swallow it and take on a death guy. It would get me what I wanted faster

"All right," I said because I had no fucking choice to be frank. "Where the hell am I going?"

Julia sent me the link and I frowned. "What the fuck would a death merchant do on a tropical island?"

"What would a rich person do on a tropical island?" Raigo deadpanned.

All right, that was true.

* * *

Proxy Island felt like my Tamer Home, I realized after being there for five minutes and having tossed my jacket into my items box. Pleasantly warm, gentle breezes, heck the sand in my boots out of nowhere. The only difference was that I was lost.

And this was why you didn't give these missions to the people with virtually no sense of direction. I let out a sigh and started walking. It wasn't like the Digital World left corpses and blood trails you could just follow to reach the big scary Merchant of Death. No pressure in terms of finding this guy. Nope, none. Just the fate of my home in the balance, great.

And I still had a bandage over one of my eyes.

Sasha floated ahead of me and then suddenly swung her gear into the water. I paused. "Sasha?"

"Being followed, tick," she told me, and I stopped. If it was underwater, no wonder I didn't hear it. Her gear retreated, followed by a familiar big walrus. Or kind of familiar. Sometimes Digimon started to look alike to me, like people.

"Ikkakumon?" I frowned. "Ain't ya that big guy from Access?"

He rubbed his head in pain. "Ow… yeah I guess… what are you doing here?"

I scoffed. "Same as last time, what are you doing here?"

"Visiting my friends from Macro Sea." He sounded offended, like I should somehow know that or care.

"Ah." I waved Sasha off. We were probably fine then. "Have fun hot fuzz."

Ikkakumon was frowning behind me, from what I could gather. "You sure you should be here," he asked, and for a minute I swore his voice had gotten higher. "I mean, I heard the Merchant of Death does his business here. Ain't that a little dangerous for you to be walking in on? You have a death wish over here?"

Sasha tensed and I felt her evolve before I could see why. "Yep, it is," I agreed, making to walk forward. "I need to see him, so I do know what I'm getting into. Thanks for worrying though."

Something whined behind me and I jumped forward, dodging a torpedo. I whirled on Ikkakumon. "What the hell?"

Ikkakumon shrank before my eyes into a tiny little Betamon. But said eyes were still staring at me. "Well, I was kinda hoping that would scare you off," he said. "But then again, you went into Macro Sea an' all, so I guess I shouldn'ta been too shocked. But if you want to interfere with the boss' business, I gotta poke my nose in." He shined for a brief moment before revealing a sea serpent, lightning sparking at his horn.

"WaruSeadramon of Kowloon Co, at your service," he drawled, deep voice coming from wide open jaws. "Now, we can do this nice and easy, or I can skewer your brains out kiddo. Which is it gonna be?"


	34. My Sword is Always Drawn

I didn't even have to think, I swapped Sasha for Gao and Guile, the two least volatile dorps who would be able to possibly handle a speedy water, wait shit, Guile was not speedy- New plan.

"Guile, land, hold him!" I shouted as Gao spun out of the way of lightning. Sweet hell, seriously. It wasn't like I was going to arrest the guy. "Hey asshole, I'm not planning on arresting your boss!"

"You've done every heartless thing from that as it is!" He replied, shooting at me again. I dropped and almost lost my hat. That fucker fries my hat he is totally becoming Roni's birthday dinner. He might anyway. Creep! "Why don't ya just try and arrest us and get shot for it?"

"Because that benefits absolutely fucking no one!" I yelled back. "Gao, swerve, punch!" I climbed into his fur as he obeyed. I've never gotten airsick before but I mean I do have teleportation sickness so what the hell. It could happen. "You do understand black markets come back, right?" Seriously hadn't anyone heard what happened in regards to prohibition? It was why dad never actually denied me something entirely. Either I had to earn it, I wasn't ready yet, or there were reasons why. Otherwise my stupid self would get things I shouldn't be.

"Yeah but it won't be us! _Evil Icicle_!"

The ice shot forward from nowhere, perfectly ready to turn me into one giant piece of purple Swiss cheese. I shut my eyes and jumped to avoid it. Considering Gao was shooting off in the opposite direction to punch WaruSeadramon in the face, I ended up falling. Nearly slammed into the water too (did I really another risk of the fucking flu, no thanks?!) if it weren't for Alec's great bulking self popping up from my Digivice and scooping me up.

I managed a grin as he pulled up and readjusted his grip on me. "Oh good, you didn't drop me."

"It was one time," he muttered, letting me climb on. "O-oonnneee time and I can't ever live it down. Any plans, Ma?"

"Cover me for like a minute," I said as he started to circle back down. "I'm gonna see if I can find his boss and live. Think you can cover me until I'm out of sight then come after?" He set me on the ground with a scoff and I released Luna. "Quick, find our mark." It wasn't that I couldn't fight him off. I just didn't want to in case I had to run from the Master of Death. I mean the name tells you shit. "Got one more trick up my sleeve." I turned on one foot. "Hey!" I yelled. "Can't I come here as a client?"

His answer was to shoot more ice at me. I made to dodge but as I lifted my hands the frozen water slowed and crashed into the sand.

Uh. Shit.

"All right, new plan," I decided. "Let's make some noise."

I just had to hope big and asshole was watching. That or Luna pissed him off long enough to get him over here.

Alec spun on his big AeroV-dramon wings and rammed WaruSeadramon in the throat. He yelped and I made to call back Guile. He jumped away from me somehow (his armor is huge and heavy. How?!) and fired. WaruSeadramon dodged and Gao swooped down, punching him in the helmet. He yowled in surprise and swung, electricity flying and making the water spark. I jumped back and shouted for Guile.

"I've got this, mom!" he called back as WaruSeadramon grew closer to him. He swung one scythe arm and sliced right into the sea serpent's side. He shouted in alarm and surprise, blood spraying from the cut. He swung his tail and Guile nearly buckled but managed to catch the back with his claws. He threw him right into a pieceo of Proxy, making him grumble with pain as he rose.

"Guess you're the big muscle of the group," he managed, focusing on Guile now, only for Alec to drop down against him feet first. I couldn't help smiling and it was almost ridiculous how much I was doing it. But this was something that WaruSeadramon lacked. Even if his buddies came right now, he was injured. They had a shot, a single shot, but it wouldn't be enough right now.

Unless the big guy came himself. Then we were probably dead. I wanted to hope I could convince him what I wanted.

"All right, Guile!" I said, lifting my hand. "You wanna fight?! Take him on then! Guys, don't let him into the water!" I waved towards Alec. Even if the salt would sting, that was his territory. Couldn't let him in it while Luna was wandering around in it and I had no clue where she was.

Alec inhaled and blew a blast of fiery air and it was deflected with ease. WaruSeadramon pushed through the air towards him, crashing into one wing and covered in electricity. He yelped in pain, wings folding. I lifted my Digivice to grab him as he righted himself, only to see the direction WaruSeadramon was curving towards.

Me. Fuck. Hate being a god damn sitting duck in an air fight. I raised my hands and tried to remember Luna's irritably serene voice telling me to concentrate. Telling me to accept that I'm going to feel cold. I hate the cold.

But I hate the idea of dying more.

Live.

The word again, the steady, singular mantra.

Live.

Big jaws open wide to chew down on me. I raised my arms.

"Live," I whispered and the warm air chilled until I could see my breath in the tropical sunlight. Then the salt water rose up and up, coiling around him as ice should not be able to do. He roared and squirmed but it didn't budge. He moved to skewer me with the horn on his head but I managed to move back out of range. My head throbbed in pain, and I felt like I was breathing with bread for lungs.

If that lucky power burst hadn't happened, I would be dead.

Now, thinking of that, of my own death, for some reason, it made my breakfast rise up my throat. I forced it back down and grimaced in disgust. I was in a life-threatening job. It shouldn't really matter whether I wanted to die or live. I just had to focus on doing it.

" _Kid, what the hell? You're bleeding real bad."_

" _It's okay. I was just practicing."_

" _Baby girl, you're going to die. Come on, let me get your dad."_

" _Don't worry, it's fine. It doesn't matter."_

I shook my head. I couldn't imagine myself saying that. If I wanted to die, I wouldn't have said anything. I wouldn't have played it off. After all, if I died, who would take care of Yuki? Who would look after dad?

I can admit this to you now, but it never occurred to me in all sixteen years that I have been alive, even in the ones I did not remember, that that shouldn't be my responsibility. And as I stood there staring at WaruSeadramon, it didn't occur to me then either.

"Now," I said, once I could breathe without my head hurting. "Seriously, the Union has a job for Kowloon Co. No fucking clue what the price is." Granted, I had some money I kept in a safe account because I could always end up having to quit my job for whatever reason, but I didn't want to use it if I fucking didn't have to.

WaruSeadramon glared at me. "And why would you go to us?"

"Cause you worked for Union on an earlier job, anyway?" He glared at me and I shrugged. "I'm just saying man. Yeah I personally came and beat the shit out of your friends, but I wouldn't have done it if one hadn't attacked me, the second one wasn't apparently Luna's Kryptonite, and the third didn't heed goading from a teenage boy."

WaruSeadramon opened his mouth to speak but a great, cold laugh echoed across the frozen water. "You are correct, dragon spawn." The voice spoke the last word like it was a bothersome fly rather than what was probably a slur.

But I couldn't think about that now. I could feel the power of that voice and it wasn't from any of the clowns I had been fighting before this point. The voice was full of the aura that Luna very rarely gave off, that one she had when she pulled power from me like water. Darkness, of the thickest kind. If I had a choice between a foggy, freezing night and this guy, I'd take the potential freeze to death.

There was a stomp, heavy and thick as he stepped up behind me. I turned my head to see the ugliest fucking thing I had ever seen.

It was like someone had taken a Cerberus and thought making him a centaur with bat wings would be real damn cool. Granted, it looked terrifying, but not cool. Cool was bad right now. One head drooled at me as it moved closer, but the visor on the humanoid head was staring right at me.

"Dragon spawn?" I repeated, trying to sound like I wasn't going to shit myself. "You talk to all potential clients that way?"

His fanged mouth smiled at me. Dear god I think he likes me, _ew_. "Only the half-breeds."

"I'm only half-dragon," I said, with a confidence I normally wouldn't have to this sort of thing. But I could remember Uncle Shinta saying this was a sign as much as the constant pain and irritation like a never ending hormonal period surge. "And that doesn't matter. I'm a client, ain't I? Union'll pay you right?"

"For what, exactly?" Gaioumon's form landed in front of WaruSeadramon, cutting him out of the ice. Ow.

I exhaled. "We need to repair Center Bridge and get back Sunshine."

"Oh like hell." WaruSeadrmaon grumbled. "You'll arrest us as soon as we get on Darkmoon property."

I scowled. "I wouldn't be here if she didn't want you guys around and even if she didn't, there's some fucked up shit happening in Sunshine that might affect everyone, including your business."

WaruSeadramon scoffed but GranDracmon let out a laugh. "Is that so? And how will you pay for it? This won't be a cheap and easy task."

"Union will." I tilted my chin up.

Grandracmon laughed again, and this one was colder. "Oh no," And around me crystals began to form. "We don't do business like that."

As they closed around me, I imagined choking to death. It wasn't hard, but I didn't like it. I punched a piece of the prison and only ended up not hitting him by Gaioumon's sword flinging me to the side. "Changing your policy," I managed, getting up.

I would limp into Union Room hours later and curse them all out in various creative ways before going home and using Durante as a pillow.


	35. Swoop Goes the Pendulum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for PTSD, scarring, wounds, abuse, depression.

Crystals flying, sky screaming, ice trying to choke me… I laid back on my bed, imagining it through my eyelids, remembering heads lunging for my chest and stomach, blocked by Luna's dancing scythe. Sasha yelled uselessly from the Digivice. No matter what I did…

_Ice flung from my fingers. I rolled in the sand and almost plummeted into the water. If it wasn't for Alec, I sure as hell would have._

" _Is that all?"_

The Merchant of Death's voice made my open my eyes and scowl. It hadn't been, and the bastard knew it. He came at me like that, _me_. Even Gaiomon had stuck onto my kids like glue, much to his own likely disappointment. I had shouted more expletives at the Merchant of Death than what was probably smart at the time, but I didn't care. And when I asked him, quite bluntly, _why,_ he had said:

" _It's because you're from an abominable ideology, no more, no less. I dislike things that seem similar to me on first impression."_

I kind of figured that I had made a better one because otherwise I'd be a fucking corpse. Just thinking that made my fingers cold.

"Stop it," I grunted at the air. It stopped but probably more because I made a face about it than because it wanted to. I rolled over. My clothes were starting to suck. They were either too loose or too tight now. Freaking puberty.

Sasha paced restlessly (as much as a floating gear could pace) about in my Digivice. I could see her from where the screen faced on my pillow. I bit my lip. Her Knightmon evolution… I went to pick up my Digivice and began to look. Knightmon tended to evolve into Royal Knights on general principle. Unfortunately, it was rare as shit for that to happen, and tended only to do it when like: they needed replacements or were going to be apprentices or something. It was like the Olympus Twelve, only more infighting.

(Seriously, there were old myths about the Royal Knights going to war over how to handle ancient evils. One of them wasn't supposed to exist unless the fight got ridiculous.)

Funnily enough, that was the one Sasha could evolve into the easiest.

The others were close to Ultimate. Doru and Guile were close to Ultimate and Doru didn't fight and Guile was a dorp. I rolled over, watching the two spar on the beach. Thankfully they could devolve so there wouldn't be sand in their armor. I didn't want to try vacuuming sand out of a dragon-tank. I rolled back over and looked at Sasha. "Sorry, lady," she said.

I shook my head. "S' not your fault." I shrugged. "Union tends to restrict lines until we're real high up and all. It's for our safety. Just you gotta have a real cool one. So we gotta find a work around. That's all." I probably could just ask Barone about it. She had a Dinobeemon, I think, last I checked and those required Jogresses. Maybe she's got an idea."

I sure as hell hoped she did. Like, I got why people had restricted lines until Gold Tamer or so (I don't have time to get the restriction removed now or I'd do it myself) but no one had those restrictions off Union. Then again few people had Ultimates for partners, except my dad and uncle and some other powerful people. I'm gonna guess that means something.

I sat up and grabbed my digivice again. Time to message Barone. She was probably out of sick bay and no longer nearly dead from pneumonia, right?

* * *

Wrong.

"I didn't even know they _gave out_ sick leave like that anymore."

Well, at least sick leave in terms of how most people, Earth people, understood it. We usually just spent it at our Tamer Homes, chilling out and watching old movies and stuff. To be sent back to residental meant it was fucking bad, like, she might not be able to be a Tamer again, bad.

Barone managed a smile. She looked at the IV dripping into her arm and sighed. Her blonde hair was no longer in its weird buns, but drooping about her head like overcooked noodles. "Yeah… being in that cold area for so long aggravated the scars from those experiments… remember?"

I twitched, painfully, thinking of needles and cooing voices and broken metal stabbed into the nearest wall. "Yeah, I remember."

Barone tried to smile again and winced, her right eye twitching. "Yeah, the internal stuff wasn't ever fixed right, so… the rescue kind of didn't help. And that YMIR program-" Twitch. "Well, it was in there with no directives or anything so that's been making it hard for me to focus and stuff..." She shook her head. "I hear your dad's supposed to be getting one of his friends to work on figuring it out. But yeah..." Barone giggled and it sounded within millimeters of crying. "I need to be in residental for a while. I don't think I'll be an active Tamer anytime soon..."

Pulled from duty. Barone was _fifteen_. Barely younger than me and being given the same sentence you would give a military veteran after they lost a limb or had too much PTSD to go along. Yeah, she could get a job in residental, or come back here and do desk work, but her days of running around in the Digital World for the foreseeable future were likely fucking gone. And she would still be twitchy, and have to relearn all of this shit we take for granted and god knew what the cold did to her.

She was fifteen. Yuki's _ten._

What am I going to find when I save her?

I sat on Barone's bed, feeling my heart swell to the size of a cantaloupe. I pressed her chalk pale hand, which was even whiter now than it had been in the past month damn it, over my olive one. "I'll get him," I told her. "I'll get him and put him down and you'll be able to stay home and heal and get your ass back into kicking Ponch and Gutts around, all right?"

It wasn't really that fucking inspiring, but Barone leaned up and kissed me on the cheek anyway. Uh. She smiled a bit. "Oh come on," she said at the look on my face. "You said something sweet and I just won dessert. Most people want to kiss you, Sayo. It's normal."

"Maybe in your definition of the word, sure." Well, at least she was cheering up a bit. Guess I could endure the humiliation to get that.

She laughed and then looked at her Digivice. "Sayo… can you take my other Digimon home with you?"

I stared. "What?"

What. Wasn't that like: indecent? Especially if you scanned them? Wasn't that like handing your teenage children over for adoption?

Barone shook her head. "I'm allowed to keep DinoBeemon with me for protection purposes but all the others have to be released or returned to code and I can't do that… I don't want to, you know? And you're the only one in our age group who uses the DigiFarm programs with any efficiency so I…" She trailed off and I groaned on the inside.

Twist my damn arm off, why don't you? I held out my Digivice, activating the farm program. "All right. Let's do it."

Something in her face eased. "Thanks. It means a lot."

I couldn't exactly let the critters die, so I just nodded and pretended that I had a heart after all.

* * *

So, on the downside, my DigiFarms were full for the foreseeable future. On an upside, Barone had a Black WereGarurumon, who was a little too eager to jogress with Sasha. I had hesitated because, well, Jogresses tended to be permanent in this case. But they had jumped into it before I could back out, so here I was with another Olympus Twelve member. At least, according to Luna, who looked kind of grumpy about it. She was always such a possessive little rabbit.

I've gotta say, it was really nice to have an Ultimate I didn't have to supply with Soul to keep going. Jogresses were great. It was almost enough to drown out the fear coiling in my gut. I swallowed as I entered the prison complex. They did their usual and I carefully put the Digivice in the tray. I doubted Mom could actually use it, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I set chair up in the meeting room and sat down.

I didn't have to wait long. Mom was escorted in, same as before. She looked paler this time. It was likely the effects of Talosian biology kicking in on her again. Thinking of Grandracmon, I had to force myself not to scowl.

She smiled at me, like I was the wayward child come home.

"Hello, dear," she said. "How are things? Have you gotten her back yet?"

I swallowed air. "Soon," I replied. That was all I would say. Legally, now that this was Union business, that was all that I _could_ say. And she knew it. The fact made her lips twitch further.

"Then why are you here?" The honey in her voice tasted like acid. "Why are you neglecting your work? Have you truly grown lazy?"

I looked away for a moment, steeling myself. My fingers curled into my skirt fabric. "I… I came here to tell you something, because no one else can or will." I made myself lift my head, speak slow, not let her get a word in. "When I leave here today, I'll likely be headed on the mission to save Yuki. And… I don't know what will have happened to her at the time."

Her purple eyes narrowed and I made myself continue, not flinch. After I had left Barone to sleep, I had decided upon this. I didn't have a choice, realistically. I couldn't do this anymore. This hurt. I already had enough pain to deal with. This couldn't be included.

"I'll be having to help her, with her crimes, with her torture, with everything. Dad's not allowed here anymore without a guard, no matter how strong he is, and he has to work so hard. He won't have time. And Uncle… Uncle hates you mom."

I didn't look up, but I felt her stare only grow. Lies and slander, she would tell me, but it was true. I, in my socially stupid way, had noticed this fact.

"Mom," I said, finally lifting my head. "I won't be coming here anymore… you, you put me down and you make me cry. You've hurt me a lot… and I could die on this mission." I choked because the thought made my hands chill and I didn't need to look like I had wet myself here.. "I could die and you only care about Yuki. And Yuki hates you mom. Yuki hates you and I… I don't." Saying those words made them true. "I love you, Mom."

I sounded like my fucking babies, I am a riot.

I refused to let her get a word in edgewise about it, refused to acknowledge my fellow Tamers standing nearby.

"I shouldn't, because you're an emotionally stunted, favorites playing abuser who hit me and blamed _me_ for injuring my own sister. I shouldn't because you lost so much and took it out on me. But I do… and I can't keep coming here because of that." I made myself get up, barely aware of the words flying out of my mouth. "I can't keep loving you and getting nothing back. I just can't, Mom. I'm sorry."

I think I saw her mouth drop open, but I was already walking away, already crying like a fool.

I had even prepared a speech in my desperation to do this right, and I had bungled it.

Story of my life.


	36. The Person in the Window

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for fire, mental health issues, child trauma,past kidnapping, implied racism and ptsd.

As I walked back towards the Tamer Home, everything was on twelve except me. I was on a one, at best. It was a miracle I didn't walk into someone and burst into tears. Can't do that. I have an image to keep up.

Around me bustled more tamers than tended to be in Darkmoon on a free rank test day. Most of them, I saw through the fringe of my hair, still had their hospital bracelets on. Well, I had to hope everyone got a good night's sleep before hell broke loose, whenever that would be. There was the distinct smell of ash and soot as I heard shouts, attack practice probably. I could say one thing about Tamer Union, I guess. Even if we were within seconds of going back into the gang wars we so recently had gotten out of, it sure looked a lot more efficient this time around. Not that I was exactly the pinnacle of self-sufficient.

Luna let out a sharp tongue click, causing me to look up from my shoes again. Auburn curls over honey brown eyes regarded me as she stepped away from the interface. Civilian clothes, a box with sweets in it that I could smell even at this distance, if it weren't for the white armband stating her position I would assume she belonged in here.

"Anya," I said, a bit too tired to make a game of it. "Aren't you supposed to be with your mom in residental? Checking my blood or something?" Uncle Shinta had told me what was going on anyway so it wasn't like I needed to know.

Annie lifted her tablet from the mammoth thing I would guess was her purse. "I have that, and mom's, well… she's my mother."

I nodded tightly, trying not to think of mine. Annie and I were able to relate when it came to our moms, which was probably why I got assigned to her. Too bad it didn't help.

She read the look on my face and her honey eyes went a weird sort of way, like she was trying not say something she thought was awful. "One of those days, huh? Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, but I saw the cake box in her hand again and thought of Koh and of being outside anymore and of feeling like I was going to cry. "No," I finally said, moving to the portal home. "But I need to talk about it to someone, don't I?"

She almost laughed. "At least a little." She paused and glanced at her watch-Digivice, thing. "Fufumon, is he here yet?"

"Almost, he said he got slightly waylaid by the chief."

Anya snorted. "Well, he's a pretty popular guy." She turned back to me and I tried to stop myself from fidgeting. Ah, no good. Mom always left me like this. "Go on ahead. You'll have to let him in anyway."

"You usually don't let guests in for a therapy session," I said, trying to smirk.

She grinned and this was the weirdest day ever because Annie normally didn't have expressions, or at least not ones like this. "This isn't a therapy session."

I resisted the urge to ask just what it was as the portal swallowed me up. I'd get a stupid answer to my stupid questions.

Koh was taking down his futon from the clothesline when I arrived. "You look like shit," he said, and it was in that matter-of-fact, non-judgmental sort of way. I was starting to like that about him.

"Having a very shitty day," I replied, moving past him to release my Digimon out onto the beach. Of course, the second I did, all of them looked at him like he was the next thing to being ground turkey. I coughed and they looked away, except Alec. Even Luna just went and curled up on my bed. "Anya will be in here pretty soon."

Koh closed the closet door. "You go to her too, huh?" At my expression of disbelief, he laughed. "Hey, we've all got issues. Not everyone has fits with theirs."

"I know that," I muttered, looking away with my face burning. "I just didn't see you as the guy who would go willingly."

Koh shrugged and sat down by the nearest ladder. "It was part of my Tamer Union contract. Chief Glare was just going to let me experiment and make what I wanted, but I eventually got stir crazy, so he let me sign up for field work, if I got a therapist meeting twice a month. Then, you know..."

"Shit hit the fan, yeah." I at least had enough tact to not ask what they talked about. "You don't have to leave, by the way. She said it's not a therapy session."

Koh yawned. "So long as you're comfortable with it, I guess that's fine."

I tilted my head on the pillow. Granted, I still felt like shit and wanted to curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep, but it wasn't like Annie would be likely to say anything completely awful. I sat up again at the sound of the 'doorbell'. (I can't believe they installed a doorbell system in dimensional bubbles.) It opened before I could actually do anything which made me wonder what the hell my uncle was doing here when he was supposedly back with the chief-oh god, _ew_ , but then I saw who was actually coming through and I leaped off the bed.

"Dad!" I crashed into him so hard he almost fell over but to be fair my dad was the kind of guy who looked like a breeze could push him over. Emphasis on 'looked'. He could still lift me off the ground and spin with me all the way back to my bed without being a little winded. Which he did, hugging me tight.

"Surprise, lass," he quipped and I laughed until there were tears in my eyes. I barely even noticed Koh staring and Annie coming into the room. "Missed me, I see."

"Course I did," I managed to say. Since he was covering my face, I felt it was a little safe to get some water in my eyes. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"He's working directly with us on defusing the Light Fang and helping with recovery," Annie reported, nodding to Phascomon as he hopped over to her. I could see his twitching furry ears. "Residental's shifted over a lot of the people working on the EDEN epidemic, so we're hoping this will be resolved relatively quickly."

"Julia said that Center Bridge's repairs are going pretty fast," Koh said, finally recovering his voice. "Probably because of the pay."

"Money does make the world turn I suppose," I heard dad say as I felt his eyes lock onto Koh. Whatever he was about to say was lost as a chorus of digimon yelling 'grandpa' at the top of their lungs suddenly registered.

I forgot how much my digimon liked my dad.

* * *

By the time, the chaos had calmed down, I was resting my head in dad's lap. He was sewing up a hole in my hat. Annie sat in my computer chair, looking through her tablet while Koh chewed gleefully on strawberry shortcake.

"You all sure you're all right being here?"

Koh nodded and I lifted my hand to indicate I just didn't care. Dad's presence helped, though I couldn't see how it wouldn't help.

She sighed and nodded herself. "All right. Like I said Sayo, this isn't a therapy session, but I'm going to ask you that question you hate so much. Bear with me for a moment, all right?"

I winced a little but dad's fingers gently ran down my back and I nodded. "All right."

Annie straightened up. "Tell me the first thing you remember."

I sighed. "A flashlight."

"Can you think of anything besides that? From earlier? Or later?" Her voice was quiet. "You said you've been looking at old photo albums lately. Has that jogged anything in your mind?"

I feel the word 'no' ready to explode but I stopped. Because that wasn't true.

"I..." I shut my eyes. "I remember a fire." I heard Koh exhale and it almost drew me out of it. But I pushed the thought away. "I remember dad holding me to his leg and people, people sneering and saying… things. I don't remember what. But dad's not happy. Mom's crying mad, her hand on her stomach and then I'm yelling too. I know if I don't stop them, if I don't make them let us stay, he won't be able to find us when he comes back. My brother… mom needs him to come back, he made her really happy. But, but that didn't happen." I opened my eyes to look right at Annie, and like the last time, she didn't react at all. "Why you ask me that?"

Annie sighed and pulled up her screen for me to see. "You'll be sixteen in a few days," she said. "As a half-Talosian, you know what that means, right?"

I nodded, and for whatever reason, I heard Koh drop his fork onto the plate.

"Well, normally, I would just say 'lock your Tamer Home and call off', like I do the other kids," Annie continued. "However, your memory loss makes me wonder if that will be enough for you."

"Why?" Dad spoke up for me, perhaps because as a medical professional, he'd be able to translate.

"All Union Digivices track their Tamer's brainwaves," Anya said, and was almost drowned out by Durante hissing. I shrugged a little. I knew that. Most kids were aware of that. How could you not make sure the kids you were letting kill people were still safe for society? "And every time you get close to poking at the memories you've lost, like now, there's a barrier in the way." She clicked her tongue. "Due to your nature, it has spread to other aspects of your body, which seeing as memories do not simply exist in your brain, is a reasonable event, though an extreme response. But, that leads to my concern."

She paused to take a drink of water and I shut my eyes again. I didn't want to see her face just now.

"Your memories seem to have been tampered with," she said. "Not all of them, as there are natural blocks in the brain. But some have been and regardless, it's impeding your ability to fight. I know this because mom has a client in residental with a similar problem, which I cannot legally discuss with you. Regardless, enough of your recollection ability has been tampered with, which is why these past few months have probably been as painful for you as they have been, as well as draining on your Soul."

I stayed silent for a while, before I tried to joke, "So… there's a conspiracy in Digital that I might have stumbled on, and I had to forget?" Dad was still quiet. It was possible that he knew.

Anya shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. It's possible it was done for your own good, considering our few actual findings have been incredibly negative."

I nodded and bit my lip. "So… what could happen to me?"

Anya sighed. "I am not the kind of medical specialist who could give you that answer, Sayo."

* * *

I guess I must have dozed off at some point, probably after Annie started talking to Koh. I could see purples and orange colors out of the slits of my eyes. Dad was still stroking my hair, so I decided not to move.

Then I heard Koh, voice soft. "I have a sister."

There was the soft beep of an audio recorder.

"I just found out, or well, I got reminded, that I have a twin sister." Koh laughed. "My parents didn't talk about her, ever. She was there and then she was gone and poof. Until now." He made another noise, like he was going to cry. "I… They had never been all that happy around me until I found her and brought her home, my parents, I mean. They love her, like a lot. But she got kidnapped, apparently." He exhaled too loudly and I almost twitched. "I mean, she's usually really pissed off, all the time. Hell, she probably thinks I'm dead and someone's sending fake messages. I… I dunno what happened."

"Do you care about her?"

Koh made another noise. "I guess. I don't know. I don't even know her. I just… I know mom and dad want her safe, so I… I felt like I had to make sure she was." I heard the sound of plate touching wood. "I, I told Sayo, a while ago, that I didn't understand what she was dealing with, because I didn't have anybody that it hurt to lose like she did. And, I don't know if I do or not."

I decided to work even harder at sleeping. This wasn't something I should hear.

And there were tears in my eyes again from hearing it anyway.

* * *

The next morning, I left dad at the house, because Roni had claimed his lap, and because I wanted to feign ignorance to Koh for as long as possible. I stood in the Union Room, quarterstaff in hand, ready for my next orders. There was no way Julia would keep me back. She couldn't. I could take down Yuki. I had to do this.

She regarded me with a cool nod and a taser at her hip. Oh boy. "The repair work is going even faster than anticipated."

I nodded.

"Are you all set?"

I felt my lips quirk. "Course I am! Who do you think I am?"

Julia smiled, and it was the soft face from that day in the hospital I saw, just for an instant. "That's something you'll have to tell me."

I snorted. She was right. Tampered memories, emotional stress, tactless comments, with or without these, I was myself. I was a person who was ready for war.

When Koh came running up the ramp, I realized just how in for it we were.


	37. Sunburn Sucks

"My Digivice alert system exploded," Koh said once he had air back in his lungs. "All Light Fang need to be on their side of Center Bridge. They're intent on invading… so I went to take a look." He swallowed. "I saw knives. A hell of a lot of damn knives"

Julia let out a swear word. It was a good one too. "Knew that asshole was holding out on me."

I almost laughed out loud, but I did my best to keep a straight face. "Chief?"

Julia snapped to eyes turning nearly the color of black coffee as Skull Baluchimon came stomping in. (Still have no idea how these big ass demons can fit on our tiny ass teleportation pads but hey, I'd go with it.) "Oh Koh let you know then," he grunted. "They're looking pretty set on coming here. We're still getting paid for this right?"

"If we live," I heard Gao mutter and tapped the Digivice. No fatalist talk.

"Of course." Julia's voice sounded so butter smooth I almost fucking believed she wasn't about to try her whatever mind powers on a Perfect level. "But you don't want to have us die in the process, correct? We can't pay you if we're dead, the Holy Beasts really wouldn't want to, you know, open the accounts wherever they've left them. Can you and yours temporarily shift focus to somewhere else, such as a lock to keep them out?"

SkullBaluchimon made a face, which was really weird because he has no skin, but it looked like he was sucking on a lemon. "I think we can but it's gonna cost you."

"We'll get to you with that." Julia didn't miss a beat and I got the sense a lot of this was coming out of the budget the Holy Beasts had left automatically filling up years ago. You know, after their intermediary died and the last one said 'fuck it'. Pretty sure those were his exact words too. Zhuqiaomon's a bit of a dick, if you all didn't know.

"Then we should be in the clear."

SkullBaluchimon nodded. "I'll see to it with the boss then." He paused and grinned. "I thought you were supposed to be a scary lady."

Julia smiled right back. "At the moment, I don't think I should kill you."

There was that familiar awkward silence you had when you knew the executioner was right at your throat. SkullBaluchimon audibly swallowed, then made his exit. Koh glanced at me and I looked away. I wasn't going to rat out he actually had a heart, give me some credit. He muttered something and then left.

I glanced at Chief Julia. "Need me to watch the bridge?"

She nodded. "If they invade anyway, and you see an opening-"

"You didn't say anything, I didn't hear any order like it," I replied, clicking my heels as I saluted. "Understood."

Duke uncrossed his arms. "Good to know you listen still."

"My ears are fine," I said and I thought I heard my voice crack. "Am I dismissed?"

Both nodded. I left.

I saw SkullBaluchimon talking with Koh as I exited. Without thought, I slipped to the side of the office next to a Tsukaimon. I leaned down and scratched him behind the ears. "Anything juicy over there?"

"Stupidity's always juicy," he chirped back at me, stubby tail appreciating the attention to his ears. "Why?"

"Doesn't it look funny to see a skull dino leaned down to a kid he could crush like a popsicle stick?"

The little guy laughed and agreed. I scratched some more and tilted my head so I could hear. Thankfully, the kids in the Digivice understood and were very, very quiet.

"With this program, do you think you can get through?" I heard Koh say. Surprising for a Light Fang (look guys, the Light Fang aren't dumb, they're just kind of recklessly obvious about some things), he kept his voice down.

SkullBaluchimon snorted. "Course I can. Hell, Mercurymon could do it better than me."

"Yeah, but you told him to go do the lock program. So I'm asking you." Koh was trying to sound pretty brave. Then again the guy had kicked both of them around once so I guess he could afford to do that.

SkullBaluchimon grunted. "Ballsy kid, You're real lucky me trying to eat them off would take your insides and the rest of you with it."

Koh waved his hand and I could almost see his lips twist into exasperation. "So can you _do_ it?"

"Yeah, yeah, course I can. We just gotta get closer to the-"

"Aren't you guys supposed to be at the bridge?" I asked, strolling up to them like I hadn't just been conveniently eavesdropping this whole time. I got the hilarious image of a giant dino and a kid leaping nearly a foot in the air. Julia's stealth training was fucking worth it for that.

Koh flushed. "Uh, yeah, we were just heading there now… right?" Smartly, SkullBaluchimon kept his mouth shut.

I nodded. "Yeah, probably good. If Julia'd caught you instead of me, you'd have been punted there. She's not in the mood."

"Who is?"

They left fairly quickly and I pretended for a moment like I believed they weren't doing anything wrong and went to get healing supplies. Just in case. Then, sighing heavily, I went outside.

Spike nodded at me as I passed by him below. I saw a few Silver Tamers with whetstones, a Gold like Raigo spinning his spear. Newton was bent over one kid, bandaging his burnt fingers. A taser lay cracked on the ground. I winced. I guess a taser was better than nothing for some zombies right? I kept walking. Grandracmon nodded at me as I past, mouth playing at a smirk. Ass. I followed Gaioumon's gaze however for only a minute or two. I didn't need to think about what the hell was happening over there. Probably lots of talking about destroying Night Claw. Yeah because I needed that today.

No sign of SkullBaluchimon or Koh here either. Might have actually done something smart and hid. At the sight of a flicker of golden light on a precarious little broken edge. Fun. Great place to put a teleport pad. Being me and a moron, I stepped on it. Thankfully, it got me to land silently where there the two idiots were, like one of those humor routines that happen in Japan. Come on, you know what they're called right? The straight man and… eh, can't remember the other one. Anyway, Koh's digivice was sparking like someone had put it in water (please don't do that.) and I stood back and tried to keep as much snark out of my head as possible.

"I can't believe you couldn't do this yourself."

Koh shot SkullBaluchimon a glare. "Excuse me, princess, but my material's at home. Humor me."

"You really think you'll be able to beat Chief Glare?" SkullBaluchimon let out a snort. "Even we've heard rumors about the guy. I wouldn't wanna screw with a dude who can give his partner enough juice to shoot a permanent crater in the ground of this place."

Koh scowled. "I don't have a choice. Those are my friends over there. I can't just leave them to die or whatever the Night Claw or going to do to them."

I snorted. "Still an us versus them mentality, huh Koh?"

They both jumped, again. God, that was funny. I shrugged. "We're their friends too, and we can't let them do this. None of this, we're friends and they won't hurt anyone crap, because they will. I wish they wouldn't, yeah but hey. We're all screwed if they get over here and infect everyone else, probably. So that has to stop. You think you can win against all of them?

Koh hesitated, then he scowled. "I dunno," he admitted. "But I've gotta try, right? I've gotta do something other than sit on my ass like I have been. But..."

"You just wanna check on that sister of yours," I said, realizing it was true as I spoke. He froze up and I nodded. "That's fair. I mean, not many people can just get into another person's Tamer Home, but clearly it ain't impossible." But that wasn't why he should go, and he knew it. So, before either of them could encourage or discourage me, I moved with the quickness my kind seemed to love in times like these, and I lifted Koh's digivice from his hands, diving onto the portal.

"Don't worry," I said as it glowed beneath my feet. Koh's fingers reached for me as his Digivice flickered blue. "We still have a rematch."

Then I stood behind the slew of Light Fang kids, all staring straight ahead and murmuring.

I swallowed. "Welcome to Legion I guess."

No turning back now.


	38. Like a Bat Out of Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for graphic violence, cursing, horror, blood, indications of slight gore, memory loss, abuse allusions, harm to minors, and mind control.

In Sunshine, it was nearly dead quiet. There were almost no humans in sight. All the ones whose names I didn't know had been at attention in front of the gap between here and Darkmoon. But that wasn't all of them. Litton wasn't here. Did she have any fucking clue what was going on? I hope not. I hope she was safe with her boyfriend or whomever and avoiding this derailing trainwreck. Luna let out a sudden hiss from inside my Digivice and I scanned the room.

Ah, there it was. Wheat-blond hair, slouched against what was probably the marketplace. This place was the reverse of Darkmoon in layout. I couldn't say in sense because our own guys had gotten punked by this YMIR (headthrob) thing too.

I swallowed, looking over at the way the Light Fang uniform drooped with dirt and wear, with a little bit of blood too.

"Pulsa," I said, voice quiet, eyes on him.

His head jerked, like it was ready to rip from his shoulders. It didn't though, for whatever reason. Whatever had been done to me had likely been done to him. He was the closest thing to humanoid non-human aside from Litton that I knew of. So it wouldn't take just any old involuntary, robotic movements to stop him or kill him. I really only wanted to do the former, but-

"I thought you said we would never end up like this again," I said to him. He blinked at me, teal eyes uncomprehending. "We'd never be under somebody's thumb, never used to carry out someone's dirty work if we didn't wanna do it. Was that a lie, Pulsa?"

"Intruder," he said after a moment. I didn't step back even when he stepped forward. "Identify yourself."

"You really don't want me to do that," I told him as I raised Koh's Digivice just to be safe. "You know who I am."

"Identity confirmed," he said, eyes fastening onto the device. Then they flicked to my face. "No… facial identification… error found, eliminating." His Digivice flashed once with the light of a Realizing Digimon-

And I punched him into the wall.

At the sound of what happened to his neck, you'd think I'd just added a murder charge to my list of crimes (which included existing if you hadn't figured that out yet) but noooppe. His head snapped back into place smooth as a scarf wound over a neck. He looked at me with washed-out hands and Digivice aloft. For the second time in a few months, he lunged for me.

This time I was ready. I snapped my knee up, smashing into his ducked chin. One hand grabbed his arm, even as his other smashed into my nose. I swung back and Gao leaped into the maw of a dinosaur, evolving in an explosion of light.

My limbs burned, but it didn't hurt. Not exactly. It felt… right. Better. Good.

I, for a moment, felt the world fall into place, somehow. Then, I broke that moment and slammed my thigh into his side. I met rough flesh and something mocking bones, but I didn't stop. Not until he flew and Gao moved with me. Our fists moved and hit and I felt my lungs loosen up. As I stepped back, I felt Gao move with me, smoothly and I almost wasn't surprised to see the giant dark blue foot very close to me. I looked up.

"Really?" I asked him, more exasperated than surprised at this point.

If metallic wolf-monsters could blush, Gao as a MirageGaogamon would have done it. "I, well, I figured it was a good time..."

I shook my head and laughed. "Let's get going, all right?" I made sure Pulsa wasn't getting up any time soon before I kept searching.

Sure enough, the way to Union Room was blocked. Saw that one coming. Pulsa didn't have anything useful (he wouldn't because I vaguely remembering everyone else having to grab his stuff whenever it fell out of his pockets.) I figured I should just keep looking. I bet money some Light Fang that wasn't Koh had something. If not I could just backtrack and pickpocket all the ones standing there stupidly and staring.

It was almost too bad. They were prepared for an invasion that wasn't going to start yet. It never would if I had anything to say about it.

I hurried on, Gao flying above my head. As I walked, I wrinkled my nose and felt my stomach crawl. The joke was that the ground of Sunshine was made of dust from the wings of Angel Digimon and it was sewn into the uniform of every Light Fang. It made them strong against corruption. As I looked at the twisted red and white statues, my chest panged again with longing.

" _Sorry Draven, but despite her affinity, the constant exposure to all of this might-"_

" _Might hurt her, yes." My father's voice was as always so calm and solemn. "Don't worry, Ada, I understand. Until we can figure out what's in the framework, it's best that she doesn't stay in the Sunshine Area for very long."_

I had almost been a Light Fang. Almost. Before the gang wars had settled, before the training school, I had been sent here for a day, to play with the rich children, the intelligent children who tended to go here. Within two hours I had been begging for home, struggling to breathe, just like most Night Claw did. Rather like those who went through-

Damn it, I didn't have time to remember. But there was something in the creation of this place, something that concentrated itself in particular in Sunshine. Or maybe we could just notice it better. I don't know. I didn't care all that much to be honest. I couldn't care. I had shit to do.

"Sir!"

That was my only warning before Tonpei and Cheetah went rushing me. Unfortunately for them, I panicked and swung my arm too hard, too fast. Blood splattered over the fabric of my clothes and onto the floor. They rolled and the blood rolled with them, along with the flopping of… things. I didn't know ice could dig that deep into someone's body.

"Shit," I managed to say, rushing over to Tonpei. "Shit, shit guys you should not have- fuck!" My swear word was muffled by Tonpei's knee slamming me in the neck. I coughed and rolled away from Cheetah. He looked at me and spoke, like there wasn't an open wound from ice gouged out of his chest. In Cheetah, it started to close. Tonpei was slightly slower.

"You would go against the prime objective?" he asked, and his voice almost seemed sad. "Now? Now, when we are so close? Sayo, why?"

Fuck me.

I shoved him, covering my hands and shoving him into Tonpei. Sasha bolted from my Digivice and whacked them out cold. Which was… well, I think she did anyway.

"Because it's not a good objective, whatever it is," I said to myself. I love to fight, or rather, fighting is all I know how to do. But that doesn't mean the entire world thinks of it the same way."

I trudged on, walking past a Yukidarumon who would have normally smiled kindly at me on any other day. She just let her eyes slide over me.

"You're making a mistake," she called. "This isn't what you want."

I laughed. I hadn't even bothered to wipe off the blood.

"I want my sister," I said to the Digimon watching me. "I want my sister and I don't want war."

"But there won't be any war," chirped a Muchomon from a foot away. "There will be no more war. Just agreements. Just painless understanding. It's what you all are for, after all."

"Once we all are connected, everyone will bear the same understanding. The only enemy will be below." A V-mon giggled in a way that sounded like floppy disks crunching in the wrong slot. "They have always been the enmy, Sayo." I froze and another laugh popped out, this one almost normal. A Magnamon, perched by a gate, smiling at me through his armor. " _Ye-es,_ I know who you are. Your sister loves you very much. That chief, that boy, some people here, they know you better than you know yourself."

A human voice laughed. "But then, that isn't that hard." I didn't have to turn to look at Kenpa, blue hair in disarray from a lack of brushing, blue eyes blank and yet almost gray,, washed out and hungry. "You're all broken up huh? You can't even remember who you are. You didn't even know you own name."

I saw Gao out of the corner of my eye. He couldn't drop. He'd crush everything if he tried.

"If you stop, I'll help you remember," Kenpa offered, stepping closer. "if you stop, this will all be over and you'll be with your sister again. And your dad. And I'll get your mom too. Everyone will be together. She won't hurt you ever ag-"

I slugged Kenpa right in the throat . Then I leaped on her, even as her Silphymon dragged off and threw me into the floor.

"Ooh," It crooned. "We touched a nerve."

"Damn fucking straight." Sasha swung her sword and it hit home, Olympia making their back crack. I rolled to the side. "That's bullshit," I spat, racing after Kenpa. She lunged for me in return and I caught her swinging fists. "Doesn't matter worth a shit if she's under your mind control crap. She won't love me anymore no fucking way. But you wouldn't know that, would you?" I crashed my head into Kenpa's nose and she put her hands to my throat and we rolled. Anyone who says girls fight is weak has never fought a Tamer. I kicked up and she coughed red and spit into my face. I swung her hard left and she crashed into the ground, like Pulsa, hard enough to crack it. Along with her skull.

Fuck me.

I made myself get up, to go to her. Gao had pinned Silphymon with one giant claw and Sasha was poised to cover me.

Kenpa's eyes flicked open and she spat blood again. "S-S-Sayyoooo?"

I paused. "Kenpa? That you this time?"

She coughed again and gasped for air, a too rough gasp in the small crater I had dented just for her. One arm rolled to press gingerly against her ribcage. I didn't puke, but I wanted to. I was crippling all of Union's forces. Even if, even if they recovered and we won, this was on tape. I would be seen beating my comrades nearly to death. I would pay for this. I wonder if whoever this freakshow was, I wonder if that would make him happy.

"Yeah..." Kenpa coughed again and I knelt beside her. "It's me… it's… I don't have long, it just keeps crawling in my head." She shuddered. "I don't know how you can _stand_ it."

"What?"

She shifted. "No… no, don't worry about it." She struggled to move her other arm into the pocket of her skirt before she handed me a slim card. "This… get to the Union Room… hurry...please."

I took it and nodded. "Stay there. Keep the blood from spraying out."

She choked laughter. "Don't worry. It'll heal me, just… just please. Hurry up and beat Chief Glare… please! Stop them! Stop this thing! It's wrong! It hurts and it's angry and it's scared. Make it stoP! MAKE I-" Her voice cut off as she started screaming, rolling and writhing and almost making the artificial sky tremble.

In a second she was still and an endless line of zeroes and ones left her mouth. Before she or anyone else could chase after me again, I got up and made to move away.

"So be it," I heard her voice say from behind me. "It just always has to be your way, Sayo. Even now." She giggled. "You just always have to take the hard choices on yourself. Never do the easy thing."

"That's never been my life," I said aloud and I kept walking.

"You shouldn't try to save the earth," the thing said through its puppet. "It doesn't deserve to be healed."

"I don't care about that world," I said, because I had to have the last shot. "You want to burn that world? Go ahead, do it yourself. But I care about mine and you're wrecking it."

"No more than it's done to itself." Then there was complete silence.

I wiped the blood off my face. I needed to be able to see for this fight. I needed to pretend my guilt wasn't all over my skin.


	39. The Demons of Virtue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for violence and blood. A lot of it.

I glanced at the two Knightmon. They didn't even glance back. Okay, to be _fair_ , it would be a long way down. I decided not think on that too far and went for the gate. I pressed the key against it, and the Union Room opened. You know, I'd say it was too easy if I hadn't nearly killed four half-trained Union kids to get here. But I wouldn't say that. I entered the portal, my Digimon closing around me like there were gonna come out guns blazing. Well, who said that they wouldn't? Certainly didn't help with the constantly squeezed in a tube feeling.

I stepped out into Union Room. It was… actually pretty clean. And here I thought they would have crashed the thing to bits by now. Up on the raised platform stood Chief Glare and… what the fuck happened to Ofanimon?

So, there's a couple weird ass legends about Ofanimon. First of all, they can become Lilithmon if they fuck up enough. Seductresses, overcompensating, evil, poisons you and sucks out your soul, you know, the works. But see, if they get fucked up enough, they become Ofanimon Falldown Mode, an Ofanimon who gets joy happy with a scythe and locks you in crystal to make you see the great mess you made of things and then cleaves you apart.

This Ofanimon was like the unholy fusion of Ofanimon Falldown Mode with a phoenix. Her lance was glowing like it hadn't left the blacksmith yet and she looked, almost literally, loomed over Glare despite him not paying any attention.

"Glare," she croaked. "Launch the attack." He didn't look at her and she leaned over him. "Go on, let's put an end to your past. Everything will be better once everyone is in one mind."

Glare shook his head, slowly. Too slowly. "It's not time yet," he said. "It's not right."

She scoffed. "It's been all right, you fool." I crept forward, trying to ignore the fact that a brainwashed Ofanimon sounded a lot like my mom. She paused. "Is it that Tamer again?" She turned and leveled her weapon at me. "Of course it is. It's always you, Sayo. You do so _love_ to be involved."

"You hadn't taken Yuki, maybe I wouldn't be."

Ofanimon laughed, a high shrieking sound that was nothing like the angel I had met. "We'll never know if that's what I wanted or not. Or, maybe you will. Once you become a part of us!" I jumped away from the shockwave. "Think you can give us the way to destroy that protect program while you're at it?"

"How about nope, no, and _hell no_?" I replied, letting Sasha jump in the way with her giant fucking sword thing. Ofanimon laughed and swung her lance again, prompting Gao to lift me off.

"You're so fragile you need your babies to protect you?" she cooed.

"Oh shut up," I muttered, dropping down not for Ofanimon (I'm stupid, but not that stupid) but for Glare. He dodged a fist but he did not dodge my knee in his throat. He stumbled back and Gao took my place in dodging attacks. He opened his chest cavity had _fired._ Ofanimon let out a satisfying shriek of pain. That shouldn't have felt so good damn it. Whatever. That distraction caused Glare with his longer limbs to catch me by the wrist. He twisted up… and up until we both were close to hearing a crack. Then it cracked.

I saw red and heard pain and I didn't even care that my wrist was broken, I lunged to sink my teeth into his throat. He threw me off and I crash landed right onto the ground on my shattered arm. I snarled and ran right for him. My arm dangled like a limp noodle as I slammed into him. He backpedaled and brought up his knee, ramming it in my face.

"You forget," he whispered. "I fight just as dirty as the rest of you. I lived in the same hell you have. I know what your kind are capable of, Sayo. I know it better than you."

I spat blood in his face as it dripped from my nose. "Doesn't take much," I spat and I moved my broken arm. I regretted it for the seconds of pain it was giving me but it was worth it to see Glare's eyes go wide as I punched him with it. I bolted back as he caught himself, aiming for my other arm. I pulled my free one away and slammed my fist forward. Then I leaped, kicking like only a rabbit could. Thank you Luna.

Behind me, Ofanimon and Gao were clashing claw against lance, her tinier form poking more holes in him than a broken dam. I was tempted to switch him out but I'd need a spare hand. At this rate, I was feeling lucky to have a hand at all.

"You enjoying this, Glare?" I panted. "beating up kids?"

"You haven't been a child for a long time, Sayo," he said, moving towards me. I leaped towards his arm and bit down, relishing in the agitated hiss. I had to let go from him kicking me in the stomach. I coughed and he, like any sensible man, took advantage of the moment to kick me down. I couched for air, struggling to even sit up with one arm. It wasn't the first time I'd gotten a broken limb but the shit still hurt. "You haven't been a child since you were brought up here with the rest of us." He pressed his foot onto my back. "You know that much, surely."

"Oh just kill me and get it over with," I wheezed. He still sounded so calm despite all the blood dripping from his face and arm. I had sharper teeth than I thought. "At least look Dory in the eye when you do it to her..."

Glare paused. "Sayo," he said, voice full of childlike wonder. "We don't want to kill you. We love you. Why don't you understand this?" He pressed his boot down further. I poured my strength into my legs and threw him off.

"Bad way of showing it," I managed to say, stumbling to my feet. Doru popped out without permission and caught me in her armor. She growled at Glare. "What about Dorothy, huh? You gonna beat her up and shit too?"

Glare paused again. Then he ducked his head and ran for me anyway. "Dory will understand. Once she is a part of this. She'll understand."

"Fuck no, she won't." I braced myself against Doru and kicked Glare. The force of it sent him into the monitor, shattering it like my hopes and dreams. "You're her parent, not her dictator," I shouted, voice ringing through the air. "That's not your decision!"

Perhaps sensing my anger, Gao finally picked up Ofanimon and threw her into a different wall. That crunch was way too nice to hear right about now.

Of course, even if Glare couldn't move after that, which he was trying to do anyway, Ofanimon did. She sliced holy energy right at myself and Doru. Doru curled around me and we braced ourselves or impact-

Which never came because my Digivice exploded with light and a very angry ChaosDukemon stabbed Ofanimon in the gut.

"No one beats up the furry brat but me," Guile roared.

Uh. Okay then.

Ofanimon slumped to the ground, bleeding from her back downwards.

Well okay then. Who knew?


	40. When Snow Begins to Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for character death, trauma, possible graphic descriptions of violence. and swearing

I couldn't feel my arm.

Well, okay, I could feel it. I didn't _want to,_ but it was there. It was there and in sooooo much agony. Twitching my fingers was like having a large needle shoved under my nail. I swallowed my groan of pain and went over to Glare. My free, working arm was raised into a fist. This helped literally nothing, as the pain in one arm was ricocheting against the other arm and, well. Yeah it basically sucked.

I scowled in pain as Guile stomped hard over to leer at Ofanimon. Every giant step made my whole body jolt and I would have told him off if Doru wasn't cradling me like a baby despite me being upright. (Don't ask how Digimon do this, it's better just to imagine it.) She was surprisingly gentle for a giant metal death dragon. I had raised her well. Also I don't think he would have listened to me. His breath fell and perspired the ground. (I know a few larger words.)

"I really should pierce her stomach, see if anything comes out," he said. His new, shiny lance was raised and he was lowering it to her exposed belly. A good part of me had to try to remember the punishment for the murder of a commander's partner Digimon. How many years was that? It was less than murdering the actual commander, that was for sure. Digimon could come back. Humans… as far as well all saw and knew, humans were kaput for good. Still, I had to say no, if only to keep my Guile from becoming _too_ fond of revenge murder. I wasn't exactly sure if he was enjoying it too much already but I had to try even in this time, right?

"No," I said after all of these thoughts. "Just make sure she stays out cold, okay?"

He grunted. "Okay, Mom. If you're sure." He stepped back, fully prepared to drive the lance home anyway. I gave up and looked back at Glare. He wasn't really stirring, except for the way his hands twitched every so often. I reached and poked Doru, regretting the movement until she swung her tail to rest against his neck. I wasn't sure if this was an entirely threatening gesture but if it was, think the tail of a giant beast would do the job. I was torn between being impressed and being rightly intimidated. I looked around me. All of my Digimon were tense, around me, ready to spring. My arm gave a pointed twinge.

I blinked mist from my eyes. Idiots.

Then I saw the flicker of orange and red. "Guile!" I shouted as a wave of flame burst from one tip of her lance. He moved to dodge it and she lunged for him, slashing with a golden light.

"Such an arrogant little pup!" she spat and Doru curled around me, barely grazing my broken arm. "Why do you go against this? You really think your Tamer has the right path?"

Guile's shield shone a deep blue and all of a sudden I remembered Duke's blast radius. I dropped. "Doru, down!"

She obeyed, freeing Glare as all hell broke loose, Ofanimon's next wave of holy power blasting into raw defensive energy. I shut my eyes to it. When the red gleam stopped frying my eyelids I opened them cautiously.

Guile was on one knee, armor cracked and dented. He coughed, scorch marks marring the once shiny armor.

Ofanimon was panting, javelin raised. Her own armor was shattered at the chest She coughed, one hand over her chest. "Not bad," she acknowledged. "It's a shame you're so young. Your attacks just don't have enough _power_ to back them up." She raised her javelin again and my Digivice flashed with light. I stumbled as Alec, in fully formed Goddramon might, burst out, blocking the attack with ease.

"Aw, sorry yer so disappointed!" Alec's rumbling voice was tinted with that anger that Luna had when she met that Herjin guy. I wasn't able to get him to listen to me now. "Doncha worry yer pretty hair now, _I've_ got experience enough for the lot of us." And to prove it, he headbutt her in the face.

Never let it be said that my babies are _smart_.

Regardless, it worked, sending her stumbling and her heels cracking and breaking to pieces. Alec moved forward, pressing against her with flames.

"Call her off, Glare!" I managed to say. "Call her off!"

Glare was trying to stand, but before he actually could, Sasha slammed the butt of her sword into his stomach. He coughed out a single 'No.'

"Why?!" I shouted. For the record, guys, this was not an anime where you could get metric ton of backstory by asking the main antagonist their motive and get that shit storm of angst. (I don't even watch much anime, how do I even know that?) "You are not seriously in agreement with the fuck-me-light on this assimilation crap are you?"

He didn't answer immediately and I was glad because it gave me a chance to breathe. But as he raised a twisted and warped piece of metal and plastic that must have been his Digivice, I heard him say,

"This is my atonement."

I turned around at Guile's warning cry-

And Ofanimon's javelin went through Alec's chest, armor and all.

My world turned white.

* * *

I crawled forward on my elbows. I didn't care that I couldn't feel my right arm anymore. No one but me was moving. All except Alec's pained twitches and groans. At least that was all I noticed. It was all I cared about. I reached his bloody, shaking fingers and touched them.

"Come on," I said to him, my voice a croak. For some reason, nothing hurt. I couldn't move anything but my body felt more energy than it had in days, in years. "C'mon Alec, 's okay, I'm gonna put you up now… just gotta get closer..."

I made to crawl more before Alec's arm wrapped around me, too tight, almost cracking my back.

"Gotcha," he croaked, leaning his head up at me. The blank eyes made my blood chill. Now I could really hear the rest of the world. Ofanimon was groaning in pain, a lighter sound untwisted with the core. "Whatcha gonna do _now, Ma_?" whispered the virus in my dragon's body. "Can you treat me the same as your other guys? As those poor kids? Can you put me to death too?"

"I… didn't kill them," I tried to say, still reaching for my Digivice. Maybe it could get the virus out. It might put him back to Child, but that was fine. That was peachy fucking keen at this point. So long as I didn't have to-

"But they could die cause of you, ma'!" Alec sounds scandalized through the coughing and the mouth bleeding and the heavy weight of his arm against my back is not good. In fact it's really bad. "And here I am, doing the same for you! You're awful, ma! You're-"

"Don't say it," I choked out, starting to cough.

"You're the worst," he finished, lips twisting into a mockery of a smile.

I thought I would see red again, or white, or despair. Instead I saw Guile, with his lance plunging into Alec's head. I saw him smile, say something, but I couldn't tell through the rush of agony and data and something exploding.

"So close," crooned something overhead. I made myself raise my head, sobbing ugly tears and bleeding again.

It was something orange and purple, a prism glowing with light.

"So close to doing it in a good way," it said. "With YMIR, I could have done it gently. No destruction. But that last hit to Ofanimon… so much for _Gaia Origin_ , huh? Couldn't even handle a half-baked bunch of drakes." Ofanimon, dressed in green and white once more, was standing slowly. I saw her blue eyes narrow as she pointed her weapon.

The thing chittered at her, then at me. "Come, Sayo. You have to chase after us now. But the Chrono Data will win. We always do, in the end. As its Core, wouldn't I know best?" It lit up and the monitor in front of us exploded, burning my tears away.

* * *

Forward.

That had been Alec's last words. Forward.

Go forward, look ahead. Look beyond me towards everything else. Be good. Don't be what they say you are.

I sniffled. I stepped forward. My Digimon remained in my Digivice, unable to speak. All but Guile, who would not go inside.

"I'm fine," he kept saying. "I don't need to heal.

_I killed our brother. I shouldn't heal._

I held my arm as I stumbled. I was healing, make no mistake about that. Part of being data right now, part of being who I was. Or what I was at the third ladder I failed to climb that I just stopped walking and started to sob again.

I couldn't do this. I couldn't save Yuki. I couldn't protect my Digimon. I could do _nothing._

Guile did not try to comfort me. I don't think he could have. He just stood guard as I curled in on myself and bawled like a baby.

It took five minutes for me to go quiet. Then, I picked myself up, and made myself climb, one rung at a time. Each one throbbed. I tried not to say a as I moved, I felt someone behind me. Someone who wasn't a threat. Someone who had maybe always been there.

"I'm sorry," I said to them. If they were even real. "I'm slow and stupid and awful at this. I'm sorry you look after me." There was no verbal answer, but there was a warm sensation around my neck for the briefest of instants. I wanted to savor it, but I didn't know what it , in the distance, I saw a glow of light. And I thought, in that light, Yuki was crying.

 _Forward_ , said Alec in my head.

"Forward," I whispered. "Towards hope. Towards my sister."

Towards the right decision, whatever that was.


	41. The Middle of the Middle

The lights flying far ahead like shooting stars would have been dazzling any other time but now.

I couldn't run. Hell I could barely move. I felt my arm healing, a little too fast. It was making my stomach scream for a chocolate bar, or even some fruit. Something as it sought to heal this problem and leave me able to fight once more, able to keep going.

I stopped, flicked my Digivice screen on. I had managed to wrangle Guile back into the Digivice with the best pained desperation I could muster.. He didn't agree with that. I didn't care. He needed to be in better shape than 'went through a couple rounds with the car crusher'. The others were half-aware, except for Luna, who watched me with the most patient look I had ever seen her wear.

"You ready?" I said, flexing my fingers around the Digivice. My other arm dangled. I could see white out of the corner of my eye. I could see bo- Nope, time not to think about that. If I thought about that, I would probably puke.

Luna nodded, her small mouth in a frown the size and depth of an ocean trench. "Yeah. Lemme out a sec. I'll heal your arm."

I made to shake my head. "You need that energy for this fight."

"And you need to be able to _dodge_ without riskin' falling on that arm and making it worse." Her answer was almost amused. Could my psycho bunny actually be logically? Jealous. I let her out and she ran cool, armored fingers over the flesh and bone. I groaned as quietly as I could. Not that it would really matter, I doubted the Digimon could hear me all the way over here. I couldn't even see him to be honest. Still, it was the principle of the thing. Bad enough I would look like I had just bawled my way into a crib. I couldn't do it again. I needed to be able to see.

For a moment, I _couldn't_ , as Luna took the opportunity to snap my arm back into place. I swore and almost jumped a foot in the air. She barely looked apologetic. Well, from what I could see when I could see after blinking agony from my eyes.

"Bitch," I said, almost meaning it.

"I could give you such a good comeback to that," she replied, continuing to work. Then she stepped away, squinting at what to me looked like a perfectly normal, sleeveless Sayo arm. "Well, you won't break it too fast." Luna scowled. "Just try not to ram him with your side today."

In other words, the thing was useless, but it wasn't a painful useless. Peachy. "Duly noted."

"Good." She summoned her scythe from the depths of hell or wherever Digimon kept their weapons when they weren't using them. "Let's go fry up a psycho."

"I'm not sure I want charred rabbit on my menu." Guile's response took a minute or two, but the snark provided me with some relief. At least he still had a sense of humor. I waited for a response from Alec that would never come for a moment. Then I strode forward, Luna and Sasha in tow.

We met the Chrono Core thing floating over a strange dragon monster. My brain kind of recognized it. Kind of. Limit Valley. So this was where it had ended up. The Chrono Core floated there. It was giggling. I looked around for any flash of white hair, any pastel, any bright pale skin that would be my sister. None of it.

Oh fuck, did it _eat_ her?

The Chrono Core giggled again. If it knew I was there, it probably didn't care. "All right now, Grimmon," it said brightly. "I've done my best to look after you so far. Now it's time for you to return the favor, okay?" If it had eyes, I swore the thing would have looked at me from the corner of one, sclera clear and iris green as a neon sign. "You see this girl behind me? She just keeps getting in the way. I don't know why either! Maybe once we defeat her, we can figure it out. Now that all those digi-entelechia are safe in you, it shouldn't be too hard, right?"

It sank down into the monster's chest, warping and twisting the air, creating a two-legged machine that looked like someone made a faucet into a robot.

"Such an interesting Real Being you are," it crooned. "You seek to defy us. You seek to defy gods. Why do such a thing? How?"

I snorted. "Force of habit." I sank into a crouch. "Authority has almost never done me any good, as far as I know."

"Well~" he laughed. "You wouldn't be wrong." He raised one arm, the arm that happened to have a hand for a blade and then swung it towards me. I jumped to the side and Sasha parried it with a grimace. Gao popped out and leaped for the other arm. I winced. IF only I could have risked going back, getting Durante or Roni, the only DigiBaby I had that was remotely tough enough to tank this fight. As it was, I had to go with what I had.

He swung and machines burst from the left claw, small and buzzing like a mobile beehive. Luna dodged the cloud and swiped her scythe into his metallic chest. He cried out in surprise and pain? Possibly.

 _He doesn't fight much._ He couldn't have, really. That cut was so shallow for a scythe cut. OR for a Luna one anyway. I ducked the swarm of attacking nano hell and yelled out for help. My arm twinged. Gao turned and I dropped to the floor. Golden light almost burnt my hair off as it blasted over my body.

"More warning please!" I managed. The monster shrieked its fury and annoyance.

"Bugs!" It shouted. "Unprocessed data! _Multi Gatling!"_

Gao gave up trying to yank off the monster's arm and curled around me in a rush. What was once a Grimmon was shrieking and howling as Luna easily shattered the bullets like they were jawbreakers thrown at a wall. She kept dancing and he failed to swat her down.

"Stay still!" he snapped, finally firing his cannon once more. "Stay still and _submit_!"

Sasha took this moment to carve into his blade arm, sending the shot wild. He wailed and she scoffed at him. "Oh get over it you big baby," she told him, smacking him with the butt of her blade. "What did you think _Sayo_ was doing huh? Faking it?" She swung again and he jumped away.

I made myself sit up, eyes a little wide. I wasn't sure whether to feel like a complete heel or crush this fucking little shit. He had clearly never really fought before. He walked real clumsy, you see, his talon feet wobbling all over as he dodged Luna and Sasha. He wasn't taking much damage. HE didn't even bleed. But he made noises like he was crying.

Like a little kid.

Almost like-

I shook my head. Nope. Nope. He was not like me. Not at all.

"Yes I am," he said, voice a whine. No, a wheeze. I covered my mouth. That had slipped out, shit. "I'm just like you, Sayo. What else do you do in a world like this? This bad place where people just hurt each other! I just want to be left alone!" He pointed his cannon at me. _"I just wanna make it stop!_ _ **DON'T YOU?!**_ "

He fired and Gao fired back, dissolving the blast into harmless light. I stepped forward. "You're not going to stop it," I said. I pointed beneath my feet. "They're down there. They caused all of this. They'll do it again."

" **YOU ACTED THIS WAY!"** The thing screamed and Sasha spun to block a blow from the flailing right arm. **"YOU ALL DID THIS TO ME, TO YOUR WORLD. I'M GOING TO FIX IT."**

"How?" I said, both buying time and legitimately not understanding an actual fucking thing. (Story of my life.). "Not like this you won't. Everyone is crying, like this."

" _They'll get over it!"_

"Why should they?" I kept moving forward. "Why should you? If it hurts..." I swallowed the hypocrisy in my throat as I got even closer. I was probably going to regret this. "Shouldn't we find a way to fix it, instead?"

I'm not sure if my hypocrisy even mattered because the whole monster flailed at me and a great and terrible _quake_ shook the floor. _"YOU CAN'T!"_ It screamed. _"YOU CAN'T FIX WHAT YOU BROKE."_

"I can try," I said, because if it wasn't obvious, I'm very good at trying shit out.

Still, that was really the wrong thing to say. The thing's body started to glow. "SHUT UP REAL BEING!" It howled. **"Disappear! Disappear you imperfect pile of data! I WILL REMAKE YOU! I WILL UNDO YOU! I WILL MAKE YOU** _ **PAY**_ **!"**

The light engulfed my vision for a second, but another took its place.

_**"Chrono Destruction!"** _

I saw the abyss. And it saw me.


	42. Our End of an End

When I opened my eyes, I was on my bad arm and the world was spinning overhead. Needless to say, I threw up. I'll have you know I was super fucking classy about it too. I fought to keep my eyes open after it was over, but I did manage to roll away from the pile of vomit.

I looked around the best I could and found my Digimon splayed across the ground. I made to rub my eyes as their forms _twitched_ , orange and purple flecks rolling off them like fire. Like the fire in firecrackers. I made myself crawl forward on my arms. Luna was the closest and I reached, pulling her into my Digivice. She didn't even make a sound of protest. She hadn't even twitched. That was the most terrifying thing of the whole bullshit kerfuffle. Luna stopped moving. I couldn't hear her breathe.

It galled me into action. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the pain in my barely healed arm as I pushed up. Of course she wasn't dead. I had already seen A- I'd seen Digimon die before today. They didn't leave corpses behind. Blood sure, sometimes organs if they'd been out long enough. But you couldn't easily get a Digimon corpse. It had been a big concern before the first gardens.

Still, the fact that she was still there gave me incentive. I fumbled for my Digivice and then pulled her back in. She didn't even protest. When I finished doing that, I looked around. Guile and Gao were sprawled where I had seen them earlier. Sasha… I saw her sword, large and without much edge, flicker. My eyes traveled up to a giant purple hand, closed like a fist around someone, no I have to remember it right. Sasha was clenched in his hand, small feet dangling limply. I could see the dullness of her eyes, the only color being the orange flicker. I opened my mouth to shout, to distract, anyth-

I saw his hand curl up completely, saw the data fizz, saw the popping of grenades times one thousands as bones broke like popcorn. Then Sasha was dead, gone.

I howled. I howled and howled as my brain shifted through multiple thoughts and shrank down to one: sorrow.

The monster turned its head towards me. There were no spots for eyes, only a blade for a nose horn. Its wings flapped, the only remnant of its previous form. Swinging its bladed tail, it laughed at me.

"Amazing," it said. "So that's what power really is… so that's what evolution feels like. There's so much power..." He uncurled his fingers, leaving the data to float away in the wind. "What do you think, Real Being? Aren't I powerful? I could get to her with this. I could get everyone with this. Yggdrasil, the monsters, earth, even _you_ , Sayo. All of you can come and be together and then your world will perish. All the worlds will die. Everyone will pay for all of this pain! Doesn't that sound great?" His cackle turned somewhat dreamy, like Dorothy sighing in her sleep.

" _Why are we the only ones who have to hurt?"_

I remembered that thought. I don't remember if it had been mine.

There was a loud, wet snort from beside me, as I tried and failed to make noise. Guile pushed himself up and expanded his shield. He coughed. "You really think you're gonna be able to beat my mom's ass?" If I could see his teeth, I would have seen them bared. _"Think again, wise guy. Judecca Prison."_

Energy, cold and blue, burst from his shield in flashes of light. It burst out and slammed into one purple covered arm. It singed, but little more. The thing laughed. "Is that all?"

I saw Guile balk as I managed to stand up all the way again. As I did, I heard something. It was heavy and low, hiccups trying to pass themselves off as deep breaths. I'd done it before, like not that long ago. I knew what sobbing sounded like. I heard the soft sobs of a little girl.

"Yuki?" I whispered. The monster went stiff but then it swung its tail at me. Gao managed to rise and scoop me up. I managed to settle as Guile fired off another blast of dark energy. The monster stumbled a bit but it grinned.

"Down!" I shouted as a horrible feeling rose up in my gut. I felt like vomiting. Gao, being a good dog, dropped like a stone, crashing just as I heard _those words_ again.

" _ **Chrono Destruction!"**_

And I thought my mother could sound _gleeful_.

The power burst out, rolling out in orange orbs that threw the already battered Guile off of his feet to crash into the ground. His body stuttered and Gao grunted, crashing around me in an attempt to shield me. I still felt it, electricity coursing through my skin. I screamed, but it wasn't enough to block out the bastard's laughter. The sound of sobbing came again but I could barely hear it as my body stumbled and fell, Gao collapsing on his side.

"Yes! Yes, I'm winning!" I heard dimly. I tasted blood in my mouth and I lifted my head. I saw the monster spinning as I moved but I, a persistent bitch, tried anyway. "Just fall, Sayo," he said with scorn. "Nothing worse than a sore loser."

"No..." I managed to say. "It's not over yet. And..." I laughed. "You really think I'm the last line of defense? You think I'm your worst nightmare." I spat and it was pink.

"You're the only one here," he said with a smile. "And that's about to change."

"Like hell." I laughed. "I'm a weak ass motherfucker. I'm here because I'm too fucking stupid not to be. But there's worse than me. There's better. There's my god damn rival. You've never managed to pin him down either. And how long did it take for you to get through to the chief, eh?" I stumbled forward. He scowled and swung, throwing me to the side.

"Don't act like you care about them." He laughed. "They'd be here if you did." There was a pause as I swore I saw a lightbulb flicker on over his head. "Wait, wait! If they matter so much to you, call out for help! Go on, call for them!" He flapped his wings and a large gust of wind prevented me from standing up. I bit my tongue before I could even make a joking attempt. I couldn't even whisper and the asshole knew it.

"Oh look!" he chirped. "Nobody came! You're in so much pain and nobody's here for you. Nobody ever comes, Sayo. You should know that better than everyone. No one ever helps the downtrodden."

I looked up at him as he spread his arms. I was still bleeding from the mouth. I could barely see out of one eye. He was kind of right. No one would help me. But… but I had to help. I had to do something.

What could I do?

I saw him form the words and the world lit up. For a moment, I felt so damn tired. And annoyed. Why did this have to hurt my Digimon? Why did this have to happen to them? They didn't deserve this. My dad didn't deserve this, all on the front lines saving lives. My uncle didn't. Koh didn't. No one did. Why did everyone have to die because I can't do anything?

_But you can._

After a minute or two, I opened my eyes. Someone stood in front of me. Their hand was outstretched, holding back an orange orb simply with his palm. They looked back at me and I saw black hair and eyes and thought of porcelain dolls in Earth shop windows. They smiled so wearily.

"You can do so much, Sayo," they told me. "You've made it this far, haven't you? Look, look, they all see it. They all know it."

I made myself look where their thin finger was pointing. My Digivice, loose about my deck, was glowing. I held it in one hand, only now noticing the monster had stopped moving. Its snout was narrowed on the boy, who looked at it without fear or anything resembling common sense.

My Digivice was warm, I realized, putting it to my chest. The glow of the screen spread around me, flooding my skin like a beach trip. For a moment, aside from the pain gleefully leaving my body, nothing happened.

Then I heard Koh, of all people. _Is that it, Sayo? You done already?_

I couldn't help but scowl. Then more voices, soft but steady. None shaking, none having any doubt.

_I trained you better than this. Discipline this child._

_You have sharp fangs. Use them._

_If you die, I'll feed Roni balut and you can't stop me._

_Don't give up._

_I want to go home…_

_Don't give up._

As I straightened up, I wiped the corners of my eyes. Like hell it was over.

The stranger smiled and the oncoming attack exploded, hitting the walls. Guile and Gao managed to stand up again.

The monster still stared at me, at all of us, as the stranger grinned at me one more time and moved closer. I couldn't move away. I wanted to, though. "I believe in you," they whispered. "I've never, ever stopped."

In any other situation, that would have been creepy as hell. Now? Now, for some reason, it warmed my chest.

He did look familiar though.

The monster shook his head. "That's not enough," he managed to say. "You're not enough! I'll just kill you now! Your friendship speeches don't mean anything! Your petty tricks don't mean anything!"

"Yes they do!" Doru's childlike voice piped up from the safety of my Digivice. "They mean everything! Mama has always cheered me up, always encouraged us, and fought for everyone! They mean something! They gave us power! Just because it doesn't matter to you!" The light from my Digivice began to shrink, but only long enough to explode like a supernova on an old projection. My knees almost buckled but it didn't matter as a great silver dragon man -woman- burst free of it, crashing into the monster and sending it flying. It pulled back, hovering into the air.

"Mama's heart does more than enough!" Doru declared, shining in the light that was still leaving my body.

The monster groaned and stumbled to its feet. "No!" he shouted. "No, it won't end like this! I won't let it!" He inhaled. "Chrono-"

"Mom," I heard by my ear. "Get ready."

A black and blue blur rushed past me as Guile shot forward like a missile, lance outstretched. The monster's attack was cut off by the lance, but only for a second. Then the Chrono Destruction attack crashed into him, through him and Guile fell, crashing into the ground like it was water. He howled in pain and I raced forward, Digivice outstretched. He wearily lifted his head.

"Not me, Mom!" he yelled. "Her! Get her! WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

Why am I here?

And I looked up. Doru was full of light. The monster was shying back, orange spheres the size of its head forming and firing in seconds.

"Stay away!" it shouted. "Stay away! **CHRONO DESTRUCTION!** "

Guile managed to rise to his feet. "Destruction?" He rasped, raising his shield. "More like yours buddy..." His form phased for a moment, blurring like I was crying. "Mom," he whispered. "Thanks. _Waking Dead."_ A sphere of energy formed above it and he blasted it up towards the shining light that was my Doru. As soon as it burst up, however, he fell apart like a block tower.

Doru, taking his darkness, shone even brighter. "Me too, Mama," she said. "Thank you."

"Guys," I tried to talk. I tried to even breathe right. "Guys… stop. We.. we don't have to do this."

"I want to, Mama," she said, voice clear and unafraid. "You protected me so much, Mama. I want to protect what you love. Watch me! Brave Metal!"

She dove, the suicide dive of a bomb as the monster screamed rage and fired blasts that made her very form blur. But they crashed together regardless, leaving a crater and no eggs. A crater, no eggs, and the monster with a hole in its chest. In that hole sat a crystal with a small form curled inside.

It was Yuki. But I couldn't see her. I couldn't see anything. All I could see was pure purple, wild fire, as I wailed.

Not my Doru. Not Guile. Not Sasha. Not them. Why? Why? Why was he killing my babies? They didn't deserve this! They didn't deserve any of this. And he was still standing. This wasn't fair. This was anything but fair.

Not enough. I needed more. I needed to make him pay. I needed to make this thing burn.

Even if meant burning myself out in the process.

Gao, behind me, howled to a moon no one could see and I felt it, him, shift behind me. His form blurred and my eyes watered.

"You too," I managed to say.

He smiled, a sad, knowing smile. "I'm sorry, Mother." I looked down at him and I could see the ball and chain he held. I could see the gleam of his amber eyes and the sheen of his faded armor. "I wish we could have stayed together. But… at the very least…" He hefted me up. "We're going to do what you came here to do. Hold on tight."

I thought of Skull Baluchimon. I thought of their voices, and I grabbed at every last bit of DigiSoul I could muster. He set me on the sphere of light. It wavered, then solidified. "Okay," I whispered. "Let's go."

The monster managed to stand, turning to me with a manic look in its eyes. "Prominence," he started to say, flames glowing about his hands.

"Final Shining Burst!" Gao had always been fast, always been strong, but I was just the burst he needed. He wrenched his weapon forward and I flew with it. As the sphere of light crashed into the monster's head, he spun to crash the scythe into its mouth. Blood exploded, raining on my back. I smashed into the crystal, forcing my arms around my sister as it shattered. As I grabbed a hold of her, the world exploded into light and darkness. I managed to turn, the two of us crashing into the ground.

When I opened my eyes again, Gao was gone. The monster was gone. Only the weird core remained.

"Oh..." it whispered. "I lost… Chronomon… why did you leave me here?"

Then, it was gone. It was over.


	43. When Things Become Brighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for depression, also blood

By the time Luna woke up, I had managed to limp off of the broken battlefield. Yuki hadn't stirred once and it had been difficult to get her on my back with just one arm. I managed though. I always managed. It was nothing new.

By the time Luna was even able to talk, the power had long since worn off. That last burst of energy I had pulled from thin air was nothing more than a very vague wisp of Soul. In its place was a raw, gnawing hunger that was nothing more than chewing on my stomach acid. Every step stung the soles of my feet. I think they had been burnt somehow. There was a sharp sting in my tailbone. But all of these pains were nothing compared to the ache in my head and chest. My head felt like the consequences of drinking as described by my father and my chest felt utterly cramped.

I think I left my beating heart behind me though, so maybe that was good compensation.

"What happened?" Luna finally managed. "Did you win?"

"Everyone won," I managed to say. "But me. Everyone lost too."

Luna swallowed. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I should have woken up."

"Don't," I replied, still limping. "S'over Luna. Nothin' we can do."

Luna went quiet and I'm glad she did, because if she had spoken, I would have stopped walking and started crying. I would have broken down and woken up my sister, and I couldn't risk that. I was pretty sure this was the most sleep she had gotten since she had been kidnapped. Even if it was filled with nightmares, I didn't want to interrupt her.

That dragon I had beaten up, that had been her, hadn't it? A little girl, lost and scared and hurt, being controlled by what was probably nothing more than a kid jumped up on how much the world sucked. I had beaten the snot out of them, and my babies paid the price.

This wasn't a battle we could afford to lose and we hadn't. I don't know if there's a euphoria I should be feeling though. If anything, I should be happy it's over.

I guess I'm that.

Yuki moved on my back. "Don't squirm," I said. "I'll drop you if you do."

She froze. "Sis?"

"Mm," I agreed. It was a good answer, right? "How are you feeling?" She didn't answer and I didn't try to pretend that was fine. "I thought so," I said, continuing to walk. The path I had taken here had made a few sharp turns, maybe this other way was a straight shot towards Darkmoon. Really didn't want to think of what that meant.

She sniffled and it was loud in the quiet air. The Digimon I had seen in this place, few as they were, were keeping their distance. Smart move. Luna could eat them and likely would before I could want to say no. She sniffled again. "I could have killed you, "Yuki said after her sniffles had become full-blown sobs.

I shook my head. "Probably not." Not that that was any comfort but still. "I'm too stubborn." Luna said nothing. I love her so much.

"You're _crazy_ is what you are," my sister replied from against my neck. "I'm so sorry, Nee-san… I killed them, I'm so sorry. They're gonna lock me up _just like mom and-_ "

"Yuki, they are not gonna lock you up," I almost snapped, feeling her trembling getting worse and worse until she was making me shake. "You're ten. They're going to do what they did for me. You'll go to therapy and get some community service hours. You'll stay with dad and maybe be a tamer one day if they want you. But for now, go back to sleep. There's nothing we can do and I forgive you anyways."

There was nothing for me to forgive, not really, but I knew she had to hear it from me. I am the big sister. I had to be the one to take the deep breath and be good, even if I was a failure at that the rest of the time.

When we made it out, I found myself blinking light from my eyes at the sight of the Gate Area. It was full of busy people, who were holding down limp Light Fang or carrying injured fellows. The sounds came rushing into my head next, filling it like a cracked gourd and spilling out. I almost collapsed. Someone could hold onto Yuki now. I needed to be home, in my bed, in pain. I couldn't bear with this.

Thankfully, a thin, but tall figure scooped us into one hug. Yuki started to bawl. I relaxed. "Nice timing dad."

"I have it sometimes." He scanned us with narrowed eyes. "Julia and Glare are waiting in Union Room. Might be best for you to get it over with, Sayo. I'll take Yuki to a medical area."

Yuki's fingers curled into what was left of my jacket, but when dad pulled her away like she weighed nothing more than a sack of apples, she went. My shoulders sagged, sending new pain up my neck. "Thanks dad."

He squeezed my shoulder with one slim hand. "Always lass."

I locked up my tears and started limping again. I didn't even care that I was hauling ass onto a teleportation pad, twice. It didn't matter to me. Either I was too sick or too empty. Either one.

Darkmoon was bustling, the quick snap of boots and heels the only idea I had that people noticed me. Many were stopping their work to salute me, I realized as I limped. Either news traveled fast, or I had been being watched this whole time. Or, which was probably what happened, Koh went screeching down the city and spread the rumor I was doing something heroic. Fucking idiot.

Still, the thought brought a smile to my face. A weak one, but it existed.

"Get back to work," I croaked, because we shouldn't be saluting when we're supposed to be working. There were wry snorts, but then someone moved to support my not-hurt arm.

"You'll fall if you're not careful," Spike mused. "You're lucky I'm going the same way." I was too weary to tell him to just admit he was being nice and leaned on him instead. "How bad was it?" he finally said.

"Luna's alive."

"I'm sorry."

I let the tears trail after me, mixing with the droplets of blood that were falling after my dragging feet. "Me too. I think I killed a kid. Or three."

"We'll take care of it. Or we'll try anyway."

It was almost a promise, but it wasn't strong enough for that. IT was just a reminder, an affirmation of CITY youth. We take care of our own. Not always first, but we do. I clenched a fist to prove I was still listening, despite my body mainly focusing on breathing.

He laughed. "That's it."

At the sight of the Union Room portal, I pushed off of him. He raised an eyebrow and I showed him bloody teeth. It was getting worse, yeah, but I had some pride left. I was a Tamer, and I couldn't face my kids if I couldn't make it into a room with my head held high on my own. He rolled his eyes and went first.

Thankfully I lived in a place where everyone heard mixed shouting and braced for an attack so when I entered the room myself, there was none of that. Instead, I was greeted by soft reverence of some kind and unmasked emotional relief. I think a couple of those scientists were Light Fang, they looked so dead eyed. I didn't look for too long, thinking of Kenpa and Pulsa.

My legs almost gave out when I made it up the ramp. I felt Dorothy's solid arms grabbed a hold of me. "I heard you," she whispered in my ear. "I heard it."

I tried to snort. "Dory, there are children present. Keep it PG."

"I'm relatively certain that's as close as we're getting to PG." Koh moved to my other side and the two of them hauled me into a chair. My body screamed but I ignored it. I'd like to lay down but I would take what I could get.

"Good work, Sayo." I looked to Julia. She stood stiffly beside Glare, with Duke beside her. I grimaced. All of us had been under the Chrono Core thing at some point, except me. I had no idea what had gone on there, but judging by the way Julia stood, and how Dorothy was on the opposite side of Glare, none of it was pretty.

I thought of Glare's coherency and Alec's laughter, and looked down.

"Thanks," I said after a few minutes.

"It's a hollow victory for you," she said in her most gentle voice, the one that had reached my mind when it was fraying before Resistor Jungle. "But you saved a lot of people. Your sister will be okay."

I swallowed. "Yeah."

"We saw you," Koh offered by way of distraction. "No idea how, didn't make much sense, but we saw you fighting him. And when he evolved like that, well… we had to do something. Really would have rather just teleported over there, to be honest."

"Which is dangerous," Julia pointed out as Glare opened his mouth. HE closed it and Koh smiled.

"Well, yeah, that was the idea."

Newton snickered. "You might not be as bad as I thought."

"Was that a compliment?"

They laughed. It hurt too much to laugh, and the sound rang hollow anyway.

Julia moved from her spot, reaching into the pocket of her commander's jacket. "For your effort," she began, with that measured voice she probably only used on Platinum Tamers. "For your courage, for their sacrifice-" She pinned a small, twisted medal onto my jacket, leaving a space between it and the golden pin. "This is the honor we give those who fight on the earth to the end. Also, from our union with Directory-" She pulled out a small pendant, carved crystal and stone that looked like a miniature sword. She put the chain about my head. "One of the weapons that symbolizes the continuation of harmony, the sword of moonlight." She stepped back and smiled at me.

I blinked back at her. My head was fuzzy with cotton. "Thanks."

She nodded. "Dorothy, Koh, take her home."

Dorothy saluted and Koh nodded, both looking all too eager to get the fuck out of the room. The fanfare probably began right after we left. I wasn't sorry I missed it. I went home and slept for like a week. My Tamer Home was locked. I wouldn't have answered it anyway. I dreamed of my Digimon, of Yuki, of my mother, of snippets of something I couldn't actually see too well.

Then I woke up. Things had changed, I had changed. But life still went on and I had no choice but to stay on with it.

Every day after that week of sleep I would wake up, hoping the eggs I had made out of scan data would be sitting on the floor, or by the beach, or next to me on the bed. They never showed up. I had my Pabus, Luna, and all my little babies who were growing with my indirect supervision. They had to be enough for me. My family had to be enough for me.

As per my babies' last wish, I just had to keep trying to do as they wanted of me: to live.

I was just going to have to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it's done. It's like, actually finished hot damn. Okay, so real talk. I had this story ending almost planned completely since the early chapters, before a sequel was even in my mind, this was roughly the place where the fic was going to end up. I had never started hoping for the 'Sayo magically gets better, possibly because of an SO who cures her mental illness' because that's just not what happens (thank you for saying so Kumo) and because this isn't pretty. She's not a character who is ready for anything more than baby steps, and she's not even ready for that. Now, I didn't know that all of chapter 42 was going to happen, but I knew character death was incoming because of the world I had envisioned CITY to be, and we're only at the tip of the iceberg here. If you've read any of the sidestories (which have a few spoilers, but not much), you will understand what I mean.
> 
> Special thanks to OnixflametheBlue for allowing me to poke my way into his ZH universe (everyone check it out, it's a much more humorous ride than The Open Sky is, at least on the surface) and shoutouts to remi because she said 'go for it', which is always a mistake with me, fair warning. To all of you who have favorited and followed recently, um, thank you, wow. To be honest, I didn't expect this to go much of anywhere because of the quiet nature of the gameverse. Because of that, I am humbled by the lot of you.
> 
> So! I said sequel. Yep, Sayo's story is not over yet. No, tune in on January 1st to see her again in the sequel When the Stars Gleam, which takes place about two years after Moon. So, our hero is older, maybe wiser, and the world we're in is about to get a whole lot bigger. Keep your eyes peeled! Thanks so much everybody!


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